Winning The Day – Page 2 – Winning The Day With Mindset, Models and Marketing

Beyond Burnout: How Leaders Must Protect Agents from the ‘Always On’ Cost

11/17/202511/11/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

For Broker-Owners, CEOs, and Top Agents like us, the 40-hour workweek is irrelevant. Our schedules are dictated by one thing: serving the client.

I was inspired by Wall Street Journal reporting by Andrew Blackman on the workweek’s history. The 40-hour standard is a 1930s relic—not a performance strategy. It’s time we acknowledge this and pivot to the real leadership challenge: What are we doing to ensure our agents do not burn out?

The Core Problem: The Unseen Cost of Client Service

We embrace the hustle, but we must confront its price.

The Client’s Schedule is the Killer: Your clients work 9-to-5, so our crucial activities (showings, open houses, contract reviews) must happen evenings and weekends. This is non-negotiable superior service.
The Cost of “Always On”: This dedication to the client—fueled by smartphones and a relentless market—comes at a heavy price. It entirely erases the boundary between work and home. The unavoidable result is a cycle of burnout and talent churn, damaging even your high-performing agentsand spiking replacement costs for the firm.
The Retention Imperative: In the 1920s, companies like Ford proved that greater efficiency led to agent loyalty. We must prioritize a structure that fights burnout, making our firm the clear choice for the best talent.

The Solution: Building a Burnout-Proof Brokerage

If the Cost of “Always On” is talent churn, the solution is building systems that intentionally restore boundaries and time.

1. Tech Triage: AI as the Boundary Builder

The most effective way to protect an agent’s weekend is to eliminate their administrative chores.

Automation is Protection: We must aggressively leverage AI and smart automation to handle lead qualification, document generation, and initial client communication outside of business hours.
Purpose: This is not just efficiency; it’s a proactive defense against burnout, allowing agents to focus on the high-value client interaction they are needed for, not the low-value admin tasks they dread.

2. Staff Support: Designing Intentional Time-Off

Your administrative structure must directly counter the agents’ weekend sacrifice.

The Buffer System: Can we implement client care coordinators or dedicated transaction teams whose schedules create a buffer, allowing agents to truly unplug during their scheduled time off?
The Four-Day Option: For salaried staff, embracing the 100% output for 80% hours model (the 4-day workweek) is a powerful, proven retention tool that shows your firm values their time.

3. Culture Shift: Valuing Rest over “Busy”

As leaders, our messaging sets the tone.

Stop Glorifying the Grind: We must actively promote, model, and reward results and efficiency over mere hours logged or visible exhaustion.
Mandated Breaks: Encourage the use of vacation & down-time and ensure agents are protected from contact during these breaks. This demonstrates that valuing their time is a core principle, not a suggestion. For agents on a team, this is easier. For your solo agents, create a backup buddy system.

Challenge to Leadership

The 40-hour week is dead. Let it stay buried. The future of the successful brokerage is built on Efficiency, Service, and Sustainability.

Ask yourselves as leaders: Are we just watching the talent churn, or are we actively designing a system that protects our high-performing agents from the cost of “Always On”?

Be the leader who defines the New Hustle: where service is relentless, and burnout is obsolete.

The 2025 Housing Market: From Standstill to Strategic Turning Point

11/16/202511/17/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

The narrative of the 2025 housing market is no longer defined by a standstill. We are at a strategic turning point. Our mission between now and year-end is to be the expert voice that translates complex data into actionable client advice, allowing us to discard the spreadsheets and speak with clarity and confidence.

The Critical Starting Point: Low Turnover

The core issue has been low sales volume. We must acknowledge a Redfin study that shows only 28 out of every 1,000 US homes sold in 2025—a 30-year low.

This is primarily due to the “Lock-in” Effect, where 70% of current homeowners have a mortgage rate under 5% and are understandably reluctant to move. Affordability was the national political theme for a reason.

But here is the crucial reality check: despite this, the market is not frozen. Nationally, over 16,240 homes are still selling each working/closing day. The transactions are simply being led by life events, not rate-chasing.

The Pivot: Why the Market is Shifting Slightly

We are entering a strategic window because affordability is improving and inventory is rising, activating latent demand:

Affordability is the Turning Point: This is the most compelling news for buyers. The monthly median mortgage payment has dropped over $300 since its peak in May 2025. This significant financial relief, combined with rates trending down for most of the year, is the essential catalyst drawing buyers back to the table.
Inventory is Returning: The “lock-in” is cracking due to life events (jobs, family, retirement). Active inventory is climbing back to pre-COVID levels (2017-2019), which means buyers finally have more options.

You can see inventory levels and more metrics in your area—just type in your Zip Code—on my Altos Research Link:

A Possible Action Plan for Q4

High performers win by leveraging this data to position their clients strategically:

Coach Sellers: Embrace Strategic Pricing Precision We must help sellers move past the past bidding war mentality. The market now rewards precision. Use the fact that 20% of listings in October had a price cut to set realistic expectations upfront. If a home is overpriced, it will sit, and it will reduce.
Manage Buyers: Master the Normal Pace of Sale The frantic pace is over. The median time on market is now 63 days, returning to a normal pre-COVID rhythm. Coach buyers this is historically a more normal pace.
Mitigate the “Wait-and-See”: The Cost of Waiting on Equity Address the fear of “waiting for prices to crash.” The demand is strong, driven by the Millennials, the largest adult generation in their peak household formation years. This powerful and sustained demand mitigates the crash narrative. The bigger challenge will come to light near 2035 when household formation drops to a 100 year low.

The data shows prices are forecasted to continue rising nationally by 2% in 2026. Waiting simply costs the buyer lost equity; a median-priced home is projected to gain $61,000 in value over the next five years.

Be the Knowledge Broker

Arm your team with specific data points for holiday conversations. Our job—Retention, Attraction & Recruiting—is to provide the certainty required to execute a move in an uncertain world.

The skills-based market is here. Are we ready to lead it?

If you are a KCM member, you’ve seen the data; if not, the slides are linked here. Share with others as you see fit.

Home Ownership — 95% of respondents express a desire to own a home.

Executive Insights: Fair Housing Trends—Compliance, Stability, and Growth

11/14/202511/11/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

To My Broker Owners, C-Suite Executives, Staff, and Top Agent Clients,

The new fair housing data provides critical insights into market conditions and regulatory focus. Reviewing these facts is an opportunity to reinforce best practices, drive operational excellence, and position your firm for robust growth.

The National Fair Housing Alliance’s (NFHA) 2025 Fair Housing Trends Report presents the following metrics, informing our strategic focus on compliance.

Data Snapshot: Persistent Complaint Volume

The 2024 figures reflect a persistent level of reported fair housing activity across the nation.

Total Complaints: 32,321 discrimination complaints were filed in the prior year (2024 data).
Historical Context: This total is the third highest since 2014, indicating the consistent demand for vigilance in the market.
Volume Trend: Complaint volume remains stable at levels consistent with the near two-decade high.
Enforcement Observation: The NFHA notes the sustained complaint volume coinciding with observations regarding resource allocation at the federal level.

This data highlights the ongoing nature of achieving equal opportunity in the housing market, covering rentals, sales, and mortgage lending.

Growth Opportunity: Proactive compliance and ethical practices enhance our brand reputation, minimize liability, and foster long-term client trust—a key differentiator in competitive markets.

Strategic Compliance: Understanding Enforcement Channels

Compliance requires knowing where enforcement actions originate, noting that state and local laws often define protected classes beyond federal requirements.

1. Focus on California Compliance

For teams in California, adherence extends beyond the federal FHA to the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Resource	Scope of Enforcement	Strategic Action Items
CA Civil Rights Dept. (CRD)	Enforces state-level FEHA, including broader protected classes (e.g., source of income).	Consider integrating training on all state-specific protected classes to mitigate localized risk.
Local Fair Housing Non-Profits	Provides investigation, counseling, and housing testing services.	Encourage operational transparency and consistency to effectively address scrutiny from testing programs.

2. For Clients and Operations in Other States

For operations and clients in other states, state and local laws often provide additional protected classes,making local knowledge crucial.

State Agencies & FHAP: Most states have a designated Civil Rights or Human Rights Commission that enforces local fair housing laws. The federal HUD often partners with these agencies through the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP).
Action for Out-of-State Teams:
- Encourage agents to review and adhere to the specific fair housing statutes of their licensed state(s), focusing on local nuances (e.g., source of income, marital status, sexual orientation).
- Consider providing state-specific compliance updates during regular team meetings.

Leadership Initiative: Driving Operational Excellence

Fair housing compliance is a foundational element of sound business leadership and market stability.

Fair and equal housing is not merely a legal mandate, but a crucial precondition to a thriving American economy and the holistic well-being of every community.

To reinforce operational excellence and integrity:

Enhance Training: Consider investing in regular, scenario-based training that focuses on objective documentation and consistent client-qualification protocols tailored to relevant state laws.
Review Marketing: Encourage a quarterly review of all marketing materials, digital ad campaigns, and website copy to ensure strict adherence to all fair housing guidelines across every jurisdiction, avoiding algorithmic bias.
Standardize Policies: Consider implementing standardized, written policies for all property showings and client intake procedures. Utilizing meticulous documentation can serve as robust evidence of fair and equal treatment.

The Power of Persistence: Why Following Up is Key to Real Estate Success – Part 2

11/12/202511/11/2025 Mark Johnson 3 Comments

Persistence is different than pressure!

In the competitive world of real estate, it’s not enough to simply make initial contact. The top 1% of agents understand the crucial difference between persistence and pressure—and they know that consistent follow-up is essential for closing deals.

Why Persistence Pays

The numbers paint a clear picture: most agents give up far too soon. They’re leaving money on the table by not consistently following up with potential clients.

Sales Contact Attempts	Outcome	The Opportunity
1st Contact	Only 2% of sales are made.
5th to 12th Contact	A staggering 80% of sales happen here.
Leads Receiving 2+ Contacts	Yet, only 25% of leads ever receive a second contact.	This is where you dominate!

Research specific to real estate further reinforces this. Agents who persisted with five or more follow-ups earned over $100,000 more per year than those who stopped at three.

Persistence vs. Pressure: Understanding the Difference

What separates effective persistence from off-putting pressure? It comes down to intent and approach.

Persistence: This is about genuinely caring about your clients’ needs and providing consistent value. It’s about building relationships, offering helpful information, and staying top-of-mind without being pushy.
- Focuses on: Understanding client needs and goals, providing relevant and valuable information (e.g., a neighborhood market report or specific tax insight), building rapport and trust, and following up consistently.
Pressure: This is about focusing solely on making a sale, often at the expense of the client’s experience. It involves high-pressure tactics, aggressive communication, and ignoring the client’s needs.
- Focuses on: Closing the deal at all costs, using pushy sales tactics, disregarding client concerns, and ultimately damaging relationships.

How to Be Persistently Effective

Since we know 80% of sales happen between the 5th and 12th contact, your success depends entirely on your system:

Develop a Follow-Up System: Implement a CRM or other system to track your leads and ensure consistent follow-up. Don’t rely on memory!
Provide Value with Every Contact: Don’t just call to “check in.” Offer valuable information, market insights, or helpful resources.
Personalize Your Communication: Tailor your messages to each client’s specific needs and preferences.
Be Patient and Respectful: Understand that people make decisions on their own timelines. Be respectful of their space and avoid being pushy.

Persistence, when done right, is about building relationships and providing value. It’s the key to unlocking significant success in real estate. Don’t give up after just one or two attempts. By consistently following up and focusing on your clients’ needs, you can significantly increase your sales and build a thriving business.

And that is how we win the day!

The Power of Persistence in Real Estate: It’s Not Pressure, It’s Value! – Part 1

11/11/202511/12/2025 Mark Johnson 5 Comments

You cannot give someone something that you don’t already possess. As real estate professionals, we want others to believe in us, our ideas, and our services. But how strongly do we believe in ourselves?

True confidence is demonstrated by our willingness to persist, even in the face of resistance. It’s not always easy, but it’s always possible. Influential real estate coaches and even the Bible emphasize the importance of this universal principle.

The Key Distinction: Persistence vs. Pressure

The key is understanding the critical difference between persistence and pressure.

Sales Pressure is repeating the same message regardless of the other person’s concerns, creating friction.
Real Estate Persistence is about empathy, adjusting your approach, refining your message, and adding more value. It’s about demonstrating that you are the best person to serve their unique needs.

Persistence isn’t situational; it applies to everyone, all the time. Are you simply finding deals, or are you actively forging them? Forging deals means seeing a client’s potential future, not just their current needs, and consistently adding value to close that gap.

Persistence Communicates Crucial Messages

When you persist with genuine commitment, you convey:

Genuine Care: You truly believe people are better off working with you. You are changing lives.
Confidence: You believe in your abilities. Your actions, words, and questions make the difference.
Targeted Solutions: You deeply understand their situation and offer specific, customized solutions. Remember: Certainty is more influential than enthusiasm.
Multiple Reasons to Move Forward: You offer value beyond simply listing or showing a property. You provide unique insights that are compelling to each client.

6 Habits of Highly Persistent People

Highly persistent professionals don’t just try harder; they approach resistance differently:

Celebrate their work.
Are driven by a purpose beyond the commission.
Expect and prepare for resistance.
Don’t take resistance personally—it’s feedback, not rejection.
Use resistance to gain insights and add value.
Are always adjusting their approach (Persistence) instead of repeating the same message (Pressure).

Why Persistence Matters

No Substitute: Persistence is essential. You either commit to figuring it out, or you don’t.
Don’t Give Up Too Soon: Just because someone doesn’t agree immediately doesn’t mean the opportunity is lost.
Consider the Cost of Inaction: What do you cost others by not following through with a better solution?

Addressing Common Objections

When you encounter resistance, it often signals one of these four underlying needs, which require a persistent adjustment:

Different Communication Styles (Emotional Motives): They need to hear the message framed differently, appealing to their specific emotional drivers: Profit, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Comfort, Avoiding Pain, Love, or Prestige.
Need for More Reasons: They need more value stacked onto the offer.
Lack of Understanding How to Proceed: They need your guidance through the process.
Need for Time: They simply need more time to process the information.

My Conclusion

Persistence, unlike pressure, always makes sense. It demonstrates your confidence and commitment. By empathizing, adjusting, and adding value, you can turn resistance into opportunity. And that is how you win the day.

A System Will Produce What A System Will Produce, Nothing Less and Nothing More!

The Essential Balance: Constitutional Integrity and the Work of Compromise

11/09/202511/09/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

On a personal note… I’m stepping away from content for a moment.

In today’s highly polarized political climate, it’s easy to get caught up in fear over labels like “Socialist” or “Islamic.” But what happens when we look past the titles and focus on the fundamental constitutional principles and the pragmatic work of governance?

My Take: Constitutional Integrity and the Work of Compromise

Friends have asked me how I feel about the prospect of a Democratic Islamic Socialist being elected Mayor of NYC. My response: Great! Why? To be effective, a candidate from any background or party still has to compromise and govern for all, and that’s the real work in a Democratic Republic.

You may agree or disagree, and that’s okay. My point of view?

Justice Scalia said it well: “I attack ideas. I don’t attack people. And some very good people can have bad ideas.”

Religious Freedom is Fundamental: True liberty requires more than mere tolerance – it demands principled acceptance of constitutional rights. Our Founding Fathers weren’t all Christian, and that’s why the U.S. Constitution guarantees religious freedom and prohibits religious tests for office. I’m confident enough in my own Christian belief to respect the right of others to believe or not believe differently.

History Helps Us Understand Government‘s Role: Throughout our history, social safety net programs and regulations have provided necessary stability. Presidents – both Democratic and Republican – like Theodore Roosevelt, Nixon (EPA), FDR, and LBJ established the principle that government has a pragmatic responsibility to establish the rule of law, protect public health, and mediate between competing interests to maintain a stable market economy. Programs like Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act support this long-standing principle.

The Real Challenge: Regardless of which party is in power, we face several interconnected challenges, including the National Debt and the growing threat of environmental stability and widespread economic opportunity. The debt as a percentage of GDP is one of the highest of developed countries – a clear sign that government spending and intervention must be addressed now. It is critical to understand that the problem is not the social safety net programs themselves, but rather how Congress historically managed their funding, often prioritizing short-term budget needs over long-term fiscal discipline, which contributed significantly to the debt.

Capitalism and the Public Good: In my view, Capitalism has the best positive attributes, driving innovation and prosperity. However, it is proven that it must be grounded in the consistent rule of law to ensure fair competition, guard against corruption, protect consumers, and protect contract law.

For me, this is about prioritizing the constitutional integrity of our Republic over the fear of different labels. Throughout American history, progress has consistently come from expanding the table, not shrinking it with litmus tests.

To me, we must revive compromise, harnessing it to translate our deepest values of equal opportunity and civic responsibility into the essential, positive force that yields tangible progress for the public good. If you need a label for me – an Independent Catholic, pragmatic capitalist that is fiscally conservative and more socially liberal – it only confirms that in our Republic, complex ideas precede simple labels.

A Few Successful Bipartisan Compromises:

No Child Left Behind Act (2002): George W. Bush (R) & Key Democrats
NAFTA (1993): Bill Clinton (D) & Republican Congress
Clean Air Act Amendments (1990): George H.W. Bush (R) & Democratic Congress
Tax Reform Act (1986): Reagan (R) & key Democrats (Bradley/Rostenkowsk)
Social Security Amendments (1983): Reagan (R) & Tip O’Neill (D)
Clean Air Act (1970): Richard Nixon (R) & Democratic Congress (Established NAAQS and SIPs)
Creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (1970): Richard Nixon (R) & Democratic Congress
Civil Rights Act (1964): LBJ (D) & Everett Dirksen (R)
The Great Compromise (1787): Large States & Small States

Clarity is King, Queen, and Bishops: The Four Phases of Sustained Domination

11/05/202510/28/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

Beyond the Win: The System for Non-Stop Elite Growth

I’m still reflecting on my time spent last week with one of the largest franchise operations of a worldwide real estate brand, diving into conversations about next-level growth and development.

I knew they already perform at a high level—they’re like the “Blue Angels” of their footprint. But even the top 1% understand that sustained High Performance is both a process and a mindset. You don’t get to the top and then stop refining.

We used a structured approach to guide the conversation, ensuring their legendary execution is backed by renewed clarity and intention. It’s about taking the best and moving to the next level of execution.

To refine that repeatable process and ensure continuous domination, we guided our conversations around four powerful phases:

Alignment (Shaping the right Belief and Vision): If the goal isn’t clear, the execution will be muddy. We solidify why we win.
Preparation (The detailed Brief and planning): Execution is easy when preparation is hard. We map out the mission with surgical precision.
Accountability (Solidifying the Commitments and Contracts): Every top performer is accountable to the process, not just the result. We lock in the non-negotiables.
Learning (The critical Debriefing and Reassessment): The best feedback loop wins. We don’t just review what happened; we engineer what happens next.

This cycle is how the best stay the best—and one that I used to earn the Inc 5000 fastest growing firms 5 years in a row. Ready for the next breakthrough!

Clarity is King, Queen and Bishops!

The Relentless Ownership Required to Win

11/03/202510/28/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

Why Your Fatigue is Irrelevant and the Market Demands Flawless Execution

I recently heard two quotes from an elite competitor—a closing pitcher, Will Klein of the LA Dodgers, who mastered the high-stakes environment of extra innings. His words strike me as the perfect distillation of the winning mindset we need to scale and dominate in real estate.

The Commitment: Anything Less Than Victory is Unacceptable

The first quote defines the required standard of effort—a refusal to quit until the job is flawlessly done:

“We weren’t losing that game, and so I had to keep going back out there… I was going to keep doing that and doing all I could to put up a zero.”

Think about that level of commitment. In real estate, this translates to relentless focus and flawless execution that prevents any loss of ground, any misstep, or any failure to serve your client at the highest level.

For the Broker/CEO: It’s refusing to lose the culture war, the recruiting battle, or the market share fight. It’s the constant decision to step back out there and dominate the competition.
For the High-Performer: It’s refusing to let a single lead slip, a negotiation crumble, or a closing get derailed due to lack of preparation. You maintain that level of intensity until the signature is on the final line.

High Performance is a Selfish Act of Discipline

The second quote drives the point home by stripping away all emotion and embracing absolute ownership:

“No one else is going to care that my legs are tired right now. The hitter doesn’t care, so why should I?”

High Performance is a Selfish Act of Discipline.

The market doesn’t care about your feelings. The competitor doesn’t care about your fatigue. The client doesn’t care about your busy schedule. They only care about the result.

If you’re a broker owner letting your foot off the gas in recruiting because you had a tough month—the market doesn’t care.
If you’re a top agent skipping lead generation because you’re “too busy” with existing business—the competitor doesn’t care.

The standard is yours to set. The responsibility for the outcome is yours alone. Stop outsourcing your motivation and start owning the relentless pursuit. That’s how we win the day and the game.

Real Estate Market Metrics—Where the National “Slight Seller’s Advantage” Is Hiding

10/31/202510/26/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

The headline from Altos Research for the week ending October 26 is a National Market Action Index (MAI) of 34, signaling a “Slight Seller’s Advantage.” This metric, which compares the rate of sales to inventory, is stable from the prior week. Note – the links included below update in real time, so at the time you review a link provided they will likely differ from this one snapshot in time.

However, a closer look at the data for the nation’s key markets reveals that this “advantage” is anything but uniform, especially when you factor in price. The National Median List Price is $439,900, yet a 42% of all listings have seen a price reduction. This is the clearest indication that buyers are actively resisting inflated prices, forcing sellers to adjust their expectations.

Here’s a concise breakdown of four major states and how their metrics are shaping the U.S. market:

Location	Market Action Index (MAI)	Median List Price	Inventory Units	% of Listings with Price Reductions
National, USA	34 (Slight Seller’s)	$439,900	859,419	42%
California, CA	38 (Slight Seller’s)	$775,000	55,849	36%
New York, NY	38 (Slight Seller’s)	$599,000	22,400	32%
Florida, FL	31 (Balanced)	$484,500	96,623	44%
Texas, TX	30 (Balanced)	$375,000	137,384	44%

1. The High-Pressure Seller’s Fortress: NY and CA

Markets with the strongest seller leverage (MAI 38) are those with the tightest inventory.

New York is the most extreme example. With the smallest available inventory (22,400 units) and the lowest percentage of price cuts (32%), competition is still intense. The sheer lack of supply means sellers have a dominant position, despite a $599,000 median list price.
California is similar, with a high MAI of 38 and an even steeper median price of $775,000. Listings are moving fast, with a Median Days on Market of just 70 days, well below the national average of 113 days.

2. The Buyer’s Opening: Texas and Florida

Texas and Florida are the best representations of the market softening, with MAIs indicating a balanced market with no significant advantage to buyer or seller.

Texas (MAI 30) offers the most affordability in this group, with a median list price of $375,000. More importantly, it shares the highest price reduction percentage at 44%. This is the market where overpricing is being punished the fastest.
Florida (MAI 31) also sees 44% of its listings cutting price. Its high Average Days on Market (139 days) is the highest of all regions profiled and signals a much slower pace of sales, putting pressure on sellers.

Market Insights for Real Estate Professionals and Investors

Real Estate Agent Insight

Your Focus: Accurate Pricing and Inventory Generation

For Seller Clients: The national 42% price reduction rate is your essential presentation slide. In Texas and Florida (44% reductions), this is a non-negotiable conversation. Do not overprice. Your goal is to price at the market’s leading edge to avoid the longer days on market (DOM) and the inevitable price cut that follows. Focus on the Median Price of New Listings as the most relevant comparable for new-to-market properties.
For Buyer Clients: The high DOM in Florida (139 days) and Texas (126 days) represents a strategic opportunity. Target homes with price reductions and higher DOM for increased negotiating power. In high-MAI markets like NY and CA, your buyers need to be pre-approved, ready for competition, and focused on homes that have already passed their Median DOM (70 days in CA, 63 days in NY).

Team Leader and Broker Owner Insight

Your Strategy: Recruitment, Retention, and Training

Training Focus: Shift your training away from “bidding wars” to “pricing consultations.” Your agents need to master the data, specifically the MAI, Price Reductions, and DOM, to win listings. The 44% reduction rate in Texas and Florida is a liability for ill-prepared agents.
Recruitment/Retention: The fragmentation of the market (NY vs. TX) means a hyper-localized skill set is crucial. Agents succeeding in Texas (selling affordability) will need different training than those in New York (managing scarcity). Provide data-driven tools, like the full Altos reports, to help your agents prove their local expertise against the national narrative.

Investor Insight

Your Target: Cash Flow vs. Appreciation

Cash Flow (TX & FL): These markets are rapidly normalizing, with inventory and price cuts giving investors a chance to enter at better values. With high price reduction rates (44%) and lower list prices $375,000 in Texas), look for opportunities to negotiate aggressively for properties that have been on the market for over 100 days.
Appreciation (CA & NY): These markets are too expensive for most new investors, but they remain high-barrier-to-entry, high-appreciation zones due to chronic under-supply. The extremely high Median Rent in New York ($4,700) indicates strong rental demand and potential for premium rental income for those who can afford the initial purchase price.

The 4-Way Test: The Ultimate Standard

10/29/202510/26/2025 Mark Johnson Leave a comment

In a world full of noise, fear, and fast-talking sales pitches, what is the single greatest asset you can possess? It’s not your database size. It’s not your market share. It is unwavering, undeniable integrity.

For nearly a century, the Rotary Four-Way Test has been the standard of ethical conduct. It was originally created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor to save a company facing bankruptcy by resetting its moral compass. It worked. It can work for you.

The Test is simple – just 24 words – but its depth will force you to examine every thought, word, and action. If you want to achieve success that lasts, you must measure yourself against these four questions.

1. Is it the TRUTH?

In a business where information is currency, truth is the bedrock of trust. This isn’t about avoiding a lie; it’s about eliminating even the slightest exaggeration or omission.

Are you presenting market data accurately, or are you cherry-picking stats to make a sale?
Are you fully disclosing a property’s known defects, even if it complicates the transaction?
Are your advertisements truthful, or are they relying on hype and vague superlatives?

If you have to pause for longer than a second to answer, you’re not operating with the integrity required for long-term survival. Trust is built with truthful actions; it is destroyed with a single deceit.

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

This is where many professionals trip up. Fairness is not about winning the negotiation; it’s about achieving an outcome that respects the interests of every party at the table—your client, the co-op agent, the buyer, the seller, and the vendors.

Are you pushing a client toward a decision that benefits your commission more than their bottom line?
In a multiple-offer scenario, are you managing the process with transparency, even when under pressure?
Are you respecting the time and effort of your competition, or trying to gain an unfair advantage?

Fairness is the difference between a one-time transaction and a lifelong referral. When you act fairly, you turn competitors into collaborators and clients into advocates.

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Professional life is relational. This question forces you to check the intent and tone behind your actions. A sharp business mind is valuable, but a mind that operates with malice, arrogance, or cynicism is an anchor.

Are you communicating with colleagues and clients in a way that fosters respect, even when delivering bad news?
Are you making a public comment that tears down a competitor, or one that elevates the industry standard?
Does your overall business presence create a feeling of respect and trust in the community?

Goodwill is your brand’s equity. It’s the invisible asset that brings repeat business and attracts the kind of high-quality people you want to work with. If your win comes at the cost of another person’s respect, you didn’t really win.

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The final question elevates your thinking beyond self-interest and immediate profit. It asks you to consider the long-term positive impact on the client, the community, and the industry as a whole.

Is the advice you’re giving sustainable for the client’s financial future, or just expedient for a quick close?
Does your success contribute positively to the perception of your entire profession?
Are you just solving today’s problem, or are you helping set up a long-term solution that benefits everyone involved?

The most successful people don’t chase money; they pursue value that creates a tidal wave of benefit for others. When your focus is on the benefit of all concerned, you align your personal success with universal good.

The 4-Way Test is not a feel-good mantra for Sunday morning; it is a practical checklist for Monday morning. Every time you open your mouth, send an email, or make a decision, run it through the test.

If you can’t answer “Yes” to all four, don’t think it, don’t say it, and definitely don’t do it. Your reputation is all you have. Protect it fiercely.