09/08/2026
I closed 49 real estate sides in the first six months of 2026. So how much did I spend to generate that business?
Probably less than you think.
I don’t buy leads.
My primary paid advertising is about $550 a month for a small local newspaper that circulates both digitally and in print—and it targets the community where I concentrated my business, with only about 1,300 residents.
Beyond that, much of my marketing is content I create myself as I go through my normal day. I take pictures. I shoot short videos. I show the homes, the community, the lifestyle and what’s happening in the market.
A lot of the actual posting gets done while I’m sitting on the couch watching TV.
There is absolutely a value to my time, so I’m not suggesting my marketing is “free.” But I’m also not spending thousands of dollars every month buying leads.
I built attention instead.
And that attention brought sellers. It brought buyers. And in the first six months of 2026, it contributed to 49 closed sides.
For agents, I think there’s a bigger question worth asking:
Instead of asking, “Where can I buy more leads?” what could you become so well known for that the leads start finding you?
Get licensed. Stay licensed. Build your career.
