Above, Bess Freedman.
Recently, while traveling, I went to the gym at a little hotel. When I walked in, there was a small counter offering protein bars, trail mix, Gatorade and water—all available on the honor system. A simple sign read: “Please take what you want, leave your name and room number and we will charge you later.” I absolutely loved this. As a consumer, it made me feel appreciated and respected.
Now contrast that with an experience I had yesterday. I was running errands and stopped at CVS to buy toothpaste. Many of the items were locked behind plexiglass, including the toothpaste. I pressed the little red button to call an associate—again, and again—and after several minutes someone finally came to unlock the case. It took 10 minutes to buy toothpaste. I left annoyed and frustrated.
You might be thinking: Why is she talking about protein bars and toothpaste when she’s a real estate CEO? Because I read a number that stopped me cold, and I want you to pause and think about it too:
20%. Lean into it. If you have 100 people in a room, 20% is 20 people. If you have 5 people, 20% is one person. And if you take a test and score 20%, that’s a big fat F. The statistic I read said this: Only 20% of consumers trust real estate agents. Let that sink in. Only 20%.
You want to know the state of the real estate market? We are in a trust crisis.
Maya Angelou famously said that people will forget what you said and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. And that’s where trust begins. Mike Staver defines trust as consistent behavior over time. Brené Brown calls it “the stacking of small moments over time.” Both definitions are true—and they can work for us or against us. If you’re consistently late or unreliable, you deplete trust. If you’re consistently clear and dependable, you build it.
I shared those two consumer experiences because I want each of us to ask: Am I exhibiting behavior that builds trust—or breaks it? Benjamin Franklin used to ask himself each morning: What good shall I do today? I’d challenge all of us to do the same: How can I build trust today? How is my behavior strengthening my relationships?
Because before we talk about where we are as an industry, or how we move forward, we have to own how we got here.
The state of the industry
Right now, the residential real estate industry is facing headwinds from every direction. The NAR lawsuits created legal turbulence and shook the public’s confidence. We’re dealing with internal division—brokerages debating private listings, clear cooperation, commission structures and transparency, often in ways the public can see.
And the market itself? It’s brutal. High interest rates, high prices and tight inventory. Buyers and sellers feel like the deck is stacked against them—and increasingly, they’re unsure who stands with them.
Consumers don’t know who to trust anymore. They read the headlines. They see agents behaving badly on reality TV. They hear about lawsuits. They Google commissions. And they start to wonder: Is this person really on my side?
That matters deeply. Because trust is not abstract—it’s the very foundation of our business. It’s why someone hands you their keys. It’s why someone lets you guide them through a once-in-a-lifetime decision. When trust erodes, so does our value.
Let’s be honest: we are all culpable. Parts of our industry prioritized volume over values. Production over process. We celebrated success without always questioning the path to it. And too often, we allowed the work to become transactional instead of relational.
The good news? We can fix this. But it requires intention and action.
Here are three things you can do, starting now:
1. Be unreasonably transparent
I’m borrowing this phrase from my friend Will Guidara, who talks about “unreasonable hospitality.” In real estate, we need unreasonable transparency.
Be upfront about commissions, market conditions, your role and your limits. People don’t want sales pitches—they want honesty. They want someone who educates, not persuades. Someone who empowers good decisions.
Clients don’t care how many awards you’ve won. They care how you treat them.
Remember: communication is with the listener. It isn’t about you.
2. Reinvent the role of the agent
The world will see you as you see yourself. We are not middlemen. We are trusted advisors.
Like lawyers or financial planners, we offer expertise, empathy and guidance. We take care of people—and that is sacred work. We are in people’s closets and drawers. We console them after losses. We navigate complex, emotional transitions.
Yet the public often believes our work is easy, that we make quick money, that we’re untrustworthy. The truth? We only get paid for results. We work seven days a week with no guarantees. And what we do takes skill, time, sensitivity and integrity.
Own your value—and consistently demonstrate it.
3. Use tech with purpose—be surgical
Technology should simplify the client experience—not replace the human one.
Use tools that bring clarity, efficiency, and value. But never underestimate the importance of human connection. AI is helpful, but it cannot replace emotional intelligence, intuition, or relationship-building.
Every client is different. Use tech intentionally, not indiscriminately.
A call to action
Tomorrow morning, ask yourself: “What will I do today to earn trust?”
Not demand it. Not assume it. Not expect it. Earn it. If each of us commits to that simple discipline—moment by moment, deal by deal, relationship by relationship—we won’t just rebuild the trust that’s been lost. We will redefine what it means to be a real estate professional.
This industry doesn’t need more spin. It needs more substance. It doesn’t need more headlines. It needs more heroes—the kind who show up early, tell the truth even when it’s hard, and put people before paychecks.
That is our opportunity. That is our responsibility. Because in the end, trust isn’t just the foundation of real estate. It’s the foundation of everything that lasts.
For more information, visit https://www.bhsusa.com/.
