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Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] --------------- Can AI actually help us build deeper relationships, or is it slowly replacing the human connection that makes real estate work? AI is changing the way we do business, and for real estate agents, the opportunities seem endless. But just because technology allows us to do more doesn't necessarily mean we're doing the right things. In this episode, Garrett Maroon and Cole Ordiway sit down with John Michael Perez and Ben Love to discuss how agents can use AI to simplify their businesses, strengthen relationships, and create more time for the people they're called to serve. They share practical ways they're using AI in their own businesses, from automating everyday tasks to staying connected with their teams and databases. But the conversation goes deeper than productivity. Where's the line between efficiency and authenticity? When does technology become a distraction? And how should our faith shape the way we approach these rapidly changing tools? The goal isn't to automate relationships. It's to automate the things that keep us from investing in them. Whether you're already using AI every day or you're hesitant to jump in, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about technology, stewardship, and what it really means to build a successful, relationship-first real estate business. Key Takeaways AI should create more room for relationships, not replace them. Use technology to handle repetitive tasks so you can spend more time genuinely connecting with people.Authenticity still matters. Just because AI can create content, make phone calls, or imitate your voice doesn't mean every application is wise or honest.You don't have to chase every new tool. The pressure to keep up can become another distraction from the work God has actually called you to do.Technology can help you love and serve people at scale. From recognizing team members to managing calendars and following up with your database, AI can help you be more intentional.Discernment matters more than efficiency. As Christian agents, our decisions should be guided by Scripture, wisdom, and a desire to honor God—not simply by what produces the fastest results.Your business is not your provider. No matter how quickly technology changes, our confidence and security ultimately rest in Christ.Connect With Our Guests John Michael PerezInstagram: @johnmichaelperezBen LoveInstagram: @benlove_atx_realtorNeed help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Join the FREE 45-Day Ramp Up Challenge! Learn more and sign up here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/rampupchallenge Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] --------------- Mortgage rates jumped, showings dried up, and I'm living it right now as a seller in one of the strangest housing markets I've seen in 13 years. If you're a real estate agent wondering what to tell your clients, this one's for you: honest conversations, a clear listing strategy, and the skills to help people make a decision. Cole and I sat down, just the two of us, to talk about how real estate agents can lead clients through a shifting housing market. I share what's happening with my own home in Newport News: three showings in the first weekend, then nothing after interest rates went up half a point. Cole shares stories from western North Carolina, including buyers who waited and almost missed a $30,000 price reduction. We walk through the pricing strategy and "three P's" I'm using with sellers, Cole's 45-day list-and-reset plan for long days on market, and a live seller consultation role play where Cole advises me as his client. Then we shift to buyer consultations: asking rational and emotional questions, and helping first-time buyers see they're buying a lifestyle, not just a house. We close with encouragement for Christian real estate agents to treat this slower season as a chance to grow, build a faith-based business with excellence, and trust the Lord to provide. Key Takeaways The three P's of listing strategy: presentation (how the home shows online and in person), price, and, in this market, patience. When nothing nearby is selling, another price reduction may not be the answer.Have the honest conversation. Nobody has a crystal ball on interest rates. In your seller consultation, tell clients what you think will happen and what you'll do, and be ready to make a new plan as the market shifts.Plan for days on market. Set expectations early. Cole's approach: list for 45 days, and if it doesn't sell, take it off, rest for 45 days, fix what buyers mentioned, and relist fresh after the holidays.Watch the perception of value. Neighbors' price drops shape what buyers think your listing is worth. And right now buyers are gold, so don't let a workable offer walk away over a small gap.Run better buyer consultations. Ask both rational questions ("define that for me") and emotional ones ("why does that matter to you?"). Ask what buyers don't want. Help them rank their top three needs, because they're buying a lifestyle.Get excellent, not just busy. Skip both complaining and overspending on tools. Simplify your systems, tell stories, keep sharpening your skills through real estate coaching, and trust the Lord to provide "to the penny."Connect with Cole: Email: [email protected] Phone number: 828-214-0463 Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Join the FREE 45-Day Ramp Up Challenge! Learn more and sign up here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/rampupchallenge Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ---------- What happens when you finally reach the level of success you thought would make you feel successful—and it doesn’t? Nick Harris sold 121 homes in a single year. He had the production, recognition, income, and reputation many real estate agents spend their entire careers chasing. But instead of creating contentment, every new level of success brought more pressure to perform, more anxiety about maintaining it, and the nagging question: What’s next? Eventually, Nick realized the problem wasn’t that he needed to accomplish more. He had built his identity around being successful in real estate rather than around Christ. In this episode of The Faithful Agent Podcast, Nick joins Garrett Maroon and Cole Ordiway for a conversation about faith, ambition, real estate lead generation, burnout, family, and what it actually looks like to build a successful real estate business without allowing the business to become your identity. Episode Summary Nick Harris is a real estate coach, entrepreneur, husband, father, and follower of Jesus who has sold hundreds of homes throughout his career—including an incredible 121 transactions in one year. But reaching that level of production exposed something Nick didn't expect: success wasn't satisfying him. The more he accomplished, the more pressure he felt to accomplish the next thing. What looked like success from the outside was increasingly filled with stress, anxiety, pride, and the pressure to maintain the reputation he had built. Nick shares how returning to Christ completely changed the way he thinks about business, money, ambition, purpose, and success. Rather than abandoning ambition, he learned to think about it through two important ideas: stewardship and surrender. We are called to faithfully steward the gifts, abilities, relationships, opportunities, and resources God gives us while surrendering the outcome to Him, but surrender isn't passivity. One of Nick's most powerful reminders in this conversation is: “God will do what we can't do. That does not mean that He will do what we won't do.” Faithfulness still requires action, obedience, discipline, and work. The conversation then gets extremely practical for real estate agents trying to generate more business in a difficult market. Nick argues that agents often make real estate lead generation far more complicated than it needs to be. Cold calling, open houses, social media, direct messages, sphere marketing, prospecting strategies, AI tools, and new systems can all become distractions from the fundamental activity underneath every transaction: Having meaningful conversations with people. Every real estate transaction starts with a conversation. Instead of constantly chasing the newest lead generation strategy, agents should determine how they naturally build relationships and then get exceptionally good at creating valuable conversations through that channel. Nick also shares how becoming a father forced him to rethink the business he had built. His production depended heavily on hours of outbound prospecting, and when his first daughter was born, he realized how difficult it was to step away without feeling like his income would disappear with him. That experience pushed him toward building a stronger personal brand, creating inbound opportunities, and becoming known for serving a specific type of client. For the Christian real estate agent who feels behind right now, the answer may not be another strategy, platform, CRM, AI tool, or lead source. You may simply need to do more of what already works—and become better at doing it. Key Takeaways Success makes a terrible identity. Nick reached production numbers most real estate agents dream about and discovered that achievement alone couldn't produce contentment.Ambition isn't necessarily the problem. Christian entrepreneurs can pursue excellence while remembering that their gifts and opportunities are things to steward, not things to worship.Steward faithfully. Surrender the outcome. Work hard at what God has placed in front of you without believing that every result ultimately depends on you.Surrender doesn't mean inactivity. Trusting God isn't an excuse to avoid doing the work you've been called to do.Real estate lead generation ultimately comes down to conversations. Every transaction requires communication with another person. Focus less on finding the perfect strategy and more on consistently creating meaningful, valuable conversations.Build a business you actually want to keep doing. If you hate your primary lead generation method today, ask whether you really want to build a business that requires you to continue doing it for the next decade.Specificity can create opportunity. Nick's business changed when he stopped trying to be the agent for everyone and intentionally became known for serving real estate investors.Don't confuse more strategies with more progress. If your business isn't producing the results you want, you may not need another lead source. You may need to increase your activity or improve your skill at the strategy you're already using.This is a skill-based real estate market. Consistency, conversations, communication, objection handling, relationship building, and follow-up matter more than chasing the next shiny object.Connect With Nick Harris Want to learn more from Nick or connect with him directly? Nick shares content around his “Four F's” — faith, family, finance, and fun — along with practical insights for real estate agents who want to improve their business, personal branding, lead generation, and systems. Instagram: @nickharris_realtor Nick also welcomes DMs from agents who want to connect, ask questions, or learn more about his story and coaching. Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ---------- "God doesn't count, He weighs." Two weeks after The Gathering, that line is still rattling around in our heads, and it might change how you measure your business too. The Gathering is in the books, and this week we're recapping what God did in that room. Garrett, Cole, and Janet look back at the conference for Christian real estate agents and bring in three attendees to share what's still sticking with them two weeks later. We start where the day started: worship, and then a pastor reminding us that God doesn't count, He weighs. He shared his own story. He went to revitalize a church with a five-year plan for multiple sites and services, and seven years later he was looking out at one service with empty seats. What he learned there about faithfulness over followers hit every agent in the room who has ever measured their worth by their production numbers. From his teaching on the parable of the workers hired at different hours, the conversation gets honest. Garrett confesses his envy over how quickly another agent built a social media following, and the crew talks about what comparison does to our hearts and what we find when we compare ourselves to Christ instead. One of the most impactful sessions came from an agent known for his social media skills who chose to share his story instead. He burned out, walked away from real estate, and went to sweep floors in a warehouse, doing the thing so many agents threaten to do. His point: when you aren't operating in the gifts God gave you, the work is exhausting, and there is more than one way to build this business. We also dig into the table builder sessions: journaling, small-group sharing, and the kind of vulnerability you rarely find at a real estate conference. Gretchen and Janet explain why this community feels different. It's brand agnostic, and it doesn't matter whether you sell 25 homes or 250. Everyone is there to honor the Lord in their business. For the tactical side, Christy breaks down the afternoon session on AI for real estate agents: treating ChatGPT like a coworker instead of a search engine, the 10-80-10 rule for AI content, and why authenticity and real, tangible experiences will matter even more in an AI-saturated world, especially for a referral-based real estate business. Anita shares how the conference helped her face her fear of hosting client events. She came home and booked a venue and a photographer for November. She also reflects on stewarding a season of fostering, homeschooling, and writing a 365-day devotional, and on making peace with her production instead of comparing it to anyone else's. We close with the reminder that Peter knew how to fish but Jesus knew where the fish were, a conversation on James 3:16 and who governs our ambition, a simple client script that brings peace in chaotic markets, and a moment of perspective about grace that Garrett had on the drive home. Whether you were in the room or not, this episode is for every faith-based realtor who wants to pursue excellence without losing their faith, family, or peace. Key Takeaways God doesn't count, He weighs. Faithfulness matters more than followers, and your worth isn't measured by your transaction count.Comparison steals your peace. The one-hour worker is just as precious to the Lord as the twelve-hour worker. Run your own race.Work in your design. A gift is the thing that creates the most impact for the least effort. When you ignore your gifts, the business wears you out.Ambition isn't the problem. The questions are who your ambition is accountable to and what governs it (James 3:16). Seek first, then build.Use AI like a coworker, not a search engine. Follow the 10-80-10 rule: put 10% of the effort in up front with good context, let AI handle 80%, then spend 10% making the result authentically yours.In an AI world, people crave the real thing. Experiences, your own voice, and something clients can hold in their hands will set you apart.Small words can bring big peace. A simple call like "I'm just letting you know your asset is safe" reflects the God of peace to your clients.Community with believers gives you courage. Being known and sharpened by other Christian agents helps you live your faith out loud in every other room you walk into.Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ---------- 79% of real estate agents haven't sold a single house this year. If you're a new agent, or an experienced agent whose production isn't where it needs to be, this episode is for you. Garrett and Cole sit down for another short, tactical episode on one question: how do you ramp up your real estate business quickly without sacrificing the long-term, referral-based foundation that actually lasts? Cole starts with identity. God created you in His image, and you're different from everyone else. Before chasing leads, figure out how you communicate, what you're passionate about, and where your people already gather. Then get in front of those people again and again. Garrett builds on that with a truth every new agent runs into: the biggest challenge isn't doing the wrong things. It's that everyone in your world still sees you as what you used to be. When Garrett started, people knew him as an assistant director of admission and a worship leader, and nobody refers a worship leader to help them buy a home. From there, Garrett walks through the exact 60-day ramp-up playbook he's rolling out to his own team. It covers qualifying your database, five relationship touches for every person who says they'll support you, 30 straight days of real estate content on social media, and a daily rhythm of learning, lead generation, and launching so new agents never wonder what to do with their time. The guys also cover why social media works better as a database touch than a lead generation tool, what to do when someone says their cousin is an agent, how to turn a casual connection into a business relationship, and whether new agents should join a team or go solo. They close with a reminder that the only way to win in this industry is to still be here at year six, after most agents have quit, and with 2 Timothy 2:2 and Proverbs 27:17 on why who you're around shapes what your business becomes. Key Takeaways Start with identity, not tactics. Know how you communicate and what you're passionate about, then go find those people. People refer you when they like you and are like you.Change the perception fast. Your sphere doesn't think of you as an agent yet. Every conversation, note, and post should help them see you in a new role.Qualify your database first. Figure out who will actually support your business before doing anything else.Hit every qualified contact with five touches. A handwritten "why I work by referral" note, a video text three days later, a pop-by gift, an invite to a client event, and a coffee meeting.Post about real estate every day for 30 days. Listing walkthroughs and market content build the authority bias that tells your sphere you're a real agent.Use social media as a database touch, not a lead machine. Cole has only closed about ten deals directly from social. Most of his business comes from people who simply see him consistently.Aim for 100 qualified contacts. If you can't get there, add open houses, networking, or regular spots in your community until you do.Give your day a structure. Learning, lead generation, and launching come first every day so slow seasons don't turn into wasted time.Don't be afraid to be number two. Agents leave the business constantly, and the cousin who's an agent today may not be licensed next year. Keep those contacts in a lower tier of your database with drip campaigns and social.Know your motivation. If you have both internal drive and external pressure, going solo can work. If not, join a team built to make you independent, not dependent.Survive the ramp-up. The first year is treading water. Every year after is what you built for.Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here: https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ---------- It's not our job to appease them and not do the right thing. It's not our job to put Band-Aids on stuff." What if the most faithful thing you can do for a seller is tell them something they don't want to hear? Here's how to have the tough conversations with your seller when it's time for a price reduction. In this episode of The Faithful Agent Podcast, Garrett sits down with Cole for a tactical, in-the-trenches conversation every Christian real estate agent needs to hear: what do you do when your seller's home isn't selling? This isn't a theoretical discussion — it's a practical playbook for having honest, faith-rooted conversations with sellers who are stuck on price, terms, or expectations. Garrett and Cole dig into the reality that most listings that sit on the market don't have a marketing problem — they have a pricing problem, and it's the agent's job to lovingly and honestly say so. They walk through real scenarios, including a seller who insisted on listing $45,000 above the recommended price and ultimately left money on the table by waiting too long to adjust. From there, the conversation moves into concrete strategies: building a four-week marketing plan sellers sign off on up front, sending weekly video market updates so sellers are never left wondering what's happening, and using pre-signed price reduction agreements — especially valuable with divorcing clients or anyone who struggles to revisit a hard conversation later. Cole introduces a fresh idea for slower markets: taking sellers to physically walk through 3-4 comparable homes so they can evaluate their own home's positioning as a buyer would, rather than just hearing it from their agent. Garrett and Cole also unpack the "four reasons a home doesn't sell" — price, location, marketability, and the often-overlooked fourth reason: terms — and why open houses are frequently used by agents to avoid the tough conversation a seller actually needs. Throughout, the episode returns to a core biblical business principle: as a faith-based realtor, your job isn't to keep the client happy at all costs — it's to give faithful, honest counsel and trust that the Lord is sovereign over the outcome. This episode is a masterclass in referral-based real estate relationship management, realtor tips for handling price objections, and the confidence it takes to deliver hard truths with grace. Whether you're serving buyers and sellers in Hampton Roads, Richmond VA, or any market nationwide, this conversation will equip you to stop putting Band-Aids on stalled listings and start having the conversations that actually move homes. Key Takeaways Your job is to tell the truth, not keep the client. As a Christian agent, lovingly and honestly telling a seller the truth — even when it risks the relationship — is the biblically faithful approach. Trust the outcome to God.Price the home right the first time, or pay for it later. A seller who refuses to price correctly often ends up selling for less after 60+ days on market than they would have if they'd listened early.Build a four-week marketing plan sellers sign onto upfront. This creates a pre-agreed structure for when a price adjustment conversation needs to happen, removing the surprise factor.Send weekly video market updates. Consistent communication (Garrett does this every Friday) builds trust and ensures sellers never feel out of the loop when a hard conversation comes.Use pre-signed price reductions for high-friction situations. Especially useful with divorcing clients or anyone likely to resist revisiting pricing later — get agreement in writing at the start.Take sellers to walk comparable homes. Letting sellers evaluate 3-4 comps as a buyer would can be more persuasive than data alone, especially in a slower market.Remember the four reasons a home doesn't sell: price, location, marketability, and terms. Terms — personal circumstances, life events, national and local uncertainty — are the most overlooked but often the most powerful factor.Open houses are not a substitute for hard conversations. Less than 1% of sales come from open houses; agents often use them to avoid telling sellers what they need to hear.Be consistent before, during, and after the listing. Say the same thing at every stage so sellers trust your counsel is steady, not reactive.Give confident counsel, not lengthy justification. Speak with the clarity of an expert — state your recommendation and your reasoning briefly, without over-explaining or pandering.This is a skill market, not a speed market. Success today depends on agents being skilled communicators who can guide sellers through pricing realities with confidence and compassion.Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Success is simple. It's also boring. And that's exactly why most agents quit right before it starts to compound. Everybody wants the version of success where you wake up, do one thing really well one time, and boom — you're a top producer. That's not real. That's not how it works for me, and it's not how it worked for a jiu-jitsu world champion and Ironman athlete who sold his first 100 homes off pure referrals — zero open houses, zero cold calling, zero paid leads. You know what actually got him there? The most boring, unglamorous, repetitive grind you can imagine. Same actions. Same discipline. Every single day. No shiny object. No new lead source when things got slow. Just reps. Here's the part nobody tells you: the moment it starts feeling mundane is usually the moment right before it starts paying off. But that's exactly when most agents bail — they get bored, they chase something new and "exciting," and they reset the clock back to zero. If you've felt like quitting because the work finally started feeling repetitive... good. That might be the sign you're closer than you think. In this episode of The Faithful Agent Podcast, Garrett sits down with Paul Domenech — real estate entrepreneur, coach, speaker, and CEO of The Domenech Group along Florida's Emerald Coast — for a conversation that goes far beyond typical real estate advice. Paul is also a world champion jiu-jitsu competitor and Ironman athlete, and he brings that same mindset of discipline, consistency, and faith-driven perseverance into how he coaches Christian real estate agents and entrepreneurs. The conversation opens with a simple but powerful question: is success ever easy? Paul's answer reframes the entire discussion — success is simple, but it isn't easy, and the two are not the same thing. He unpacks why so many real estate agents chase shiny objects, jump between lead sources, and spread themselves across too many strategies, when the real path forward is mastering one or two things deeply and staying consistent long enough to see the compound results. Garrett and Paul dig into the tension every ambitious agent feels: the pull toward numbers, awards, and status versus the deeper question of what success is actually for. Paul shares his own story of hitting every professional milestone — top producer, high GCI, the recognition — while quietly failing the people closest to him. That honesty sets up one of the episode's most memorable lines: "I was just a failure in a better suit." The two also explore how agents can build sustainable business systems through habit-stacking one lead source at a time rather than trying to do everything at once, and why boredom and impatience are often the real enemies of long-term success, not lack of opportunity. Paul closes with the story behind his personal philosophy, "If I can, I must" — born out of a serious cycling accident just weeks before his first Ironman, and the conviction he felt that God had already equipped him for the moment, regardless of how he felt about it. It's a challenging, faith-centered conversation for any Christian real estate agent, faith-based realtor, or Christian entrepreneur wrestling with what it means to build a business without losing themselves, their family, or their peace in the process. Key Takeaways Success is simple but not easy — it requires consistent daily action, not a silver bullet or shortcut.Impatience is often preparation in disguise; God withholds blessings until we're ready to steward them well.Real estate lead generation only works long-term when agents master one or two lanes before adding a third.Chasing external validation — awards, rankings, social media attention — can come at the cost of family and faith."I was just a failure in a better suit" — professional success without personal alignment is still failure.Habit-stacking one business-building activity at a time beats trying to do everything simultaneously.Boredom and mundane repetition are signs of mastery, not signs something is wrong.Paul's "If I can, I must" philosophy: when God gives the idea, opportunity, and ability, feelings don't get a vote.Doubt rooted in preparation (not laziness) is a healthy prompt to lean on faith, not a red flag to quit.True freedom as a Christian entrepreneur comes from referral-based systems, not chasing every new lead source.Connect with Pauly: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauldomenech/ Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

I just wrote an email to my database on this topic that got me 3 referrals! Email me if you want the exact template I sent. You can send exactly what I said to your database. Just add at the top, “An agent I know sent this out and I thought you may find it helpful.”  ------------ LAST CHANCE! Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FAITHFUL for 60% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ------------ Most buyers today are trapped by their golden handcuffs. They're terrified of trading a 2.5% interest rate for a 6.5% one. In this episode, we'll give you the exact conversations, questions, and mindset shifts we're using to help buyers move forward with confidence—without pressuring them into a decision. You'll learn the questions we ask, the stories we tell, and the mindset shifts that are helping families move forward with confidence. Instead of trying to convince people to buy, Cole and I help clients think through the decision for themselves. From "trading houses instead of mortgages" to the power of getting in the game with an "okay house," this episode is full of practical dialogue you can immediately use with your buyers. If you've been wondering what to say when clients tell you they're waiting for rates to come down, this episode gives you a framework that is both logical and compassionate. If you're struggling to motivate clients in this tough market, listen to this episode! I hope it helps. As always, reach out if you have questions or need help. Key Takeaways Reframe the move as a "trade," not a loss. Homeowners aren't giving up their 2.5% rate — they're trading their current house for their next season of life. Language matters.Diagnose emotional vs. rational readiness. Most buyers who hesitate already want to move emotionally; they just need help solving the math. Ask intentional questions to find out which kind of help they actually need.Use the equity-split strategy. When a homeowner sells, consider splitting the proceeds between the 20% down payment and a rate buy-down to make the new payment work."Today is the least expensive it will ever be." Waiting rarely saves money once inflation and rising prices are factored in — even a modest price increase a year from now can outweigh today's higher rate.Ask: "Have you ever wanted to be a landlord?" Most people say no — a simple gut-check question that reframes the rent-it-out temptation for departing homeowners.Remember the capital gains hit. Turning a primary residence into a rental changes its tax treatment; walk clients through that before they assume renting is the easy default.For first-time buyers, run the real numbers. A slightly higher-priced home at a lower rate can cost nearly the same — sometimes less — than a lower-priced home at a higher rate. Show the math, don't just talk about it.The "okay house, good house, great house" framework. No one gets their forever home on the first purchase. Getting in the game with an okay house is what makes trading up to a good house, and eventually a great house, possible.Only 2% of people ever pay off a 30-year mortgage. Most buyers will move again — so help them stop waiting for a "forever home" on their first purchase.Homeowners build roughly 42x the net worth of renters over time, according to the data Garrett shares — a helpful, non-pushy stat for reframing the rent-vs-buy conversation.Try the "parents' first house" exercise. Ask clients to find a photo of their parents' first home versus their parents' most recent home — it resets unrealistic expectations about what a starter home should look like.Ask "What are you afraid of?" A simple, caring question that surfaces the real objection — whether it's financial, emotional, or something else — before it derails the deal later during due diligence.Tell your own story. Whether it's your first home purchase or your own recent move-up decision, personal storytelling builds trust faster than statistics alone.Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FIRST50 for 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ------------- "90% of people on social media are lurkers who'll never comment, so why do agents obsess over followers instead of the right ones?" Is social media actually necessary for real estate agents to build a business — or is it, as one guest puts it, a "necessary evil"? In this roundtable episode of The Faithful Agent Podcast, Garrett Maroon and Cole Ordiway sit down again with Janet Brinck to wrestle honestly with one of the most debated topics in the real estate industry today. The conversation dives into the real question every Christian real estate agent eventually asks: do I need to be on social media to grow my business, or can referral-based real estate and database nurturing carry me instead? Garrett, a self-described "100% referral guy" who sold 50 homes in a single year without a website or social presence, pushes back hard against the idea that video and virality are required for real estate lead generation. Janet, who went all-in on social media branding in 2023 and saw an immediate shift in brand recognition and trust, argues the opposite: that in today's market, if you don't have a presence, you don't exist. The two work through the tension between authentic reach and vanity metrics, why "1,500 views" doesn't mean 1,500 potential clients, and how the psychology of authority bias makes a polished video more persuasive than most agents realize. This episode is especially valuable for the "average agent" — the realtor who isn't a natural storyteller, doesn't want to be on camera, and feels behind because everyone else seems to be going viral. Garrett and Janet offer a refreshingly practical framework: pick one platform, go deep instead of wide, and understand that social media is often less about generating new clients and more about reinforcing the brand of an agent already known in their community. The conversation also gets real about the mental and spiritual cost of content creation — the temptation to covet other agents' success, the exhaustion of being "always on," and the biblical call for believers to look different online than the world does. Garrett doesn't hold back on what frustrates him most: agents taking credit for videography they didn't shoot, and Christian agents posting content that doesn't honor the Lord in how they dress or present themselves. Key Takeaways Social media isn't required to build a successful real estate business. Garrett sold 50 homes in his second year with no website and no social presence — referral and database systems still work.90% of social media users are lurkers. Only a small fraction ever comment or engage, but views and reach still build brand awareness even among people who never interact.New agents don't need to start with social media. Building a database of 200+ names and mastering referral relationships creates a more reliable foundation than chasing virality.If you're going to do social media, go deep on one platform rather than spreading thin across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube at a mediocre level.Social media functions more as a "database touch" than a lead-gen tool for many agents — it reinforces trust and awareness among people who already know them, rather than generating cold, new business.Authority bias is real. People psychologically trust polished, confident, professional-looking content — which is why sellers increasingly expect agents to market listings with high-quality video.Consistency beats virality. Most "overnight success" content is really someone's 125th–617th post — recognition compounds slowly, not instantly.Time budgeting is the real danger, not the platform itself. Agents who can't manage their time well often lose hours to social media without productive output.Christian agents are called to look different online — in how they dress, what they post, and how they handle the temptation to covet other agents' success or chase follower counts as ego rather than ministry or business purpose.Excellence matters more than presence. If content creation isn't your strength and it will pull focus from what you do well, it may be wiser to skip it — but if you commit to it, commit to doing it with excellence, "because that is the Lord's standard."One Practical Step for Agents Pick one platform and go all-in rather than trying to maintain five channels poorly (e.g., Facebook groups only, or TikTok only).---------- real estate lead generation, social media for realtors, referral-based real estate, database marketing for agents, Christian real estate agent content strategy, authority bias in real estate marketing, faith-based realtor mindset, biblical business principles, real estate branding, content creation burnout, Hampton Roads and Virginia real estate business building. Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

"Work expands to fill the time available." That's Parkinson's Law, and it's the reason most real estate agents can't protect a single hour on their calendar — not their quiet time, not date night, not even a three-hour mastermind. In this episode, national time management coach Anna Dearmon Kornick breaks down why your calendar isn't the problem, your clarity is. Anna walks Garrett, Cole, and the listener through a simple exercise: imagine standing a year from now, fully proud of what you've built — then work backward to identify what had to be true to get there. That vision, paired with a short list of personal core values, becomes a filter for every time-management decision an agent makes going forward. Garrett connects this directly to his own coaching philosophy around defining a personal scoreboard for success before choosing a lead-generation strategy or building a team — a theme that runs throughout his work with faith-based realtors and Christian entrepreneurs building referral-based real estate businesses. From there, Anna unpacks her signature HEART method — a four-phase system she teaches inside the It's About Time Academy: Navigator — learning to navigate overwhelm using your own personality as a compass, since time management strategies that work for one person's wiring can fail completely for another's.Visionary — getting concrete about your vision and core values, then using both as a filter for daily priorities.Designer — building five essential routines (morning, evening, workday startup, workday shutdown, and weekly planning) that anchor a "best week ever," including a practical breakdown of what a workday shutdown routine should actually accomplish (process, preview, prepare) so your brain can close the day's open loops instead of carrying them home.Pacesetter — using the HEART framework itself (Habits, Energy, Attention, Recharge, Time) as an ongoing diagnostic toolbox whenever friction shows up in your week.Anna also shares her own story — from scheduling a U.S. congressman on Capitol Hill, to a decade in 24/7 crisis communications, to being written up for tardiness 17 times in a single quarter — and how that season taught her that chronic lateness wasn't a discipline problem, it was a symptom of living out of alignment with her values and vision. That personal turning point is what led her to build the HEART method and the It's About Time Academy. The conversation lands on a theme that will resonate with any real estate agent trying to build sustainable habits: recharge isn't optional. Sleep, hobbies, and unstructured fun aren't indulgences — they're what keeps an agent in the business long enough to build something that lasts. Garrett and Cole talk candidly about their own struggles protecting time for rest, and Anna reframes time management not as a race to be won, but as an ongoing practice — more like yoga than a finish line. Key Takeaways Parkinson's Law is why agents burn out. Work expands to fill the time available — if you don't decide in advance how much lead generation, reach-outs, or work is "enough," you'll throw yourself into it indefinitely with no finish line.Time management is a decision-making problem, not a scheduling problem. Every choice about how you spend your time is really a question: does this move me toward my vision and values, or away from them?Clarity comes before tools. Buying a new planner, app, or habit tracker won't fix time management — sitting still and getting clear on your vision and values will.There is no one-size-fits-all time management system. Most time management books reflect the personality of the person who wrote them — understanding your own wiring (the "Navigator" phase) is the shortcut to finding what actually works for you.Five routines anchor a sustainable week: morning, evening, workday startup, workday shutdown, and weekly planning.A workday shutdown routine has three steps: process what happened today, preview tomorrow's calendar, and prepare one small thing for success — then pair it with a physical cue (closing a laptop, changing clothes, even tapping a tree) to signal to your brain that work mode is over.Deadlines aren't the enemy — they're the tool. A short amount of time forces tough decisions about what stays and what goes; putting a limit on your work keeps it from expanding into every part of your day.Recharge is not optional. Adults need 7–9 hours of sleep, and hobbies or unstructured fun aren't indulgent — they're what makes long-term sustainability in real estate possible.The HEART framework is a diagnostic toolbox: Habits, Energy, Attention, Recharge, Time — when something in your week feels off, ask which of these five needs attention.Time management is a practice, not a finish line. Like yoga, it's something you show up to and adjust daily — not a system you master once and set on autopilot.One Practical Step Before you open your inbox tomorrow morning, open your calendar first. Identify your top three priorities for the day — the three things that would actually move the needle — and time-block them before you check a single email or text. Let everything else get measured against those three, instead of starting your day reacting to whatever landed in your inbox overnight. Connect with Anna Podcast: It's About Time — new episodes every Monday, wherever you listen to podcastsBook: Time Management Essentials - https://www.amazon.com/Time-Management-Essentials-Attention-Productivity/dp/126498877XInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annadkornick/Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FIRST50 for 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ------------- Guess who's buying no matter what the market does? Investors don't care about interest rates, they don't care what's happening geopolitically — they're always buying. So why are most agents still treating them like the competition? Every real estate agent should be working with real estate investors — not competing against them. That's the conviction Ben Deal, a Houston-based realtor and leader of the Investor Agent Wolfpack at eXp Realty, brings to this episode of The Faithful Agent Podcast. Ben began his career as a wholesaler and acquisition specialist, meeting with thousands of homeowners before becoming a licensed realtor in 2020. Today he mentors agents through the Investor Agent Game Plan, teaching them how to build a business around investor relationships instead of chasing endless retail buyers. In this conversation, Ben breaks down why most agents view investors as competition rather than partners, and why that mindset is costing them deals. Retail buyers only transact every 5–7 years, but a single active investor doing 3–5 deals a year is worth five retail clients in volume alone. Ben explains how to find investors fast by building relationships with hard money lending loan officers — the people who already have qualified, ready-to-move buyers — and how to tell a good investor partnership from a bad one using discernment, not just deal volume. They also dig into "agent outreach," the marketing strategy investors use to mine agents for distressed leads, and how understanding it can flip the dynamic in your favor. Ben shares the mistakes that cost him early on, including partnering with investors whose values and work quality didn't align with his, and why walking away from a lucrative but misaligned relationship is sometimes the most faithful move an agent can make. Throughout, Ben ties his business philosophy back to his faith, describing his work as a way to honor Christ through integrity, excellence, and purpose — and encourages agents to seek God's direction before chasing the next strategy or shiny object. Key Takeaways One investor can be worth five retail clients. A homeowner buys every 5–7 years; an active investor doing 3–5 deals annually delivers that same volume in a single year — with far less hand-holding per transaction.The fastest way to find investors is through hard money lenders. Loan officers only get paid once — at funding — and don't want to source deals themselves. Partnering with them puts you in front of pre-qualified, ready-to-transact investors."Agent outreach" is a marketing strategy, not a real investor relationship. The mass emails and texts agents get from investors looking for deals are cheap marketing plays — understanding this lets agents reverse-prospect instead of just being mined for leads.Not every investor is worth partnering with. Discernment matters more than deal volume. Ben walked away from an investor doing heavy deal flow because the quality of her work didn't match his standard or his reputation.Investors are always buying, regardless of the market. Unlike retail buyers, active investors don't pause for interest rates, seasonality, or geopolitical noise — making them a stabilizing force in an agent's pipeline.Alignment with Christ comes before alignment with a deal. Ben's clearest early mistake was working with people whose character and values didn't match his own — a decision he now filters through prayer and discernment first.You don't need to do everything — just one thing well. Garrett's closing challenge: agents don't need to add ten new strategies. Pick one (like building an investor relationship) and execute it with excellence.One Practical Step This week, identify one hard money lending loan officer in your market and set up a coffee or call with them. Ask how you can help serve their top investor clients by sourcing deals — not the other way around. This single relationship gives you a direct line to pre-qualified, active investors without cold-prospecting for them yourself. Connect with Ben: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube: @Benjamin Deal Website: https://investoragentwolfpack.com/ Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FAITHFUL for over 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] -------- Self-sabotage doesn't feel like sabotage. It feels like busywork, comparison, and "waiting for the market to change." Jennifer Morin joins Garrett to expose the five sneaky ways agents undermine their own success — and what to do instead. With over 25 years of experience coaching and mentoring agents, Jen has seen the same patterns show up again and again: agents blaming shifting markets, interest rates, and difficult clients for results that actually trace back to their own habits and mindset. Garrett and Jen dig into why so many agents don't even realize they're sabotaging themselves, and how comparison, control, rejection, busyness, and past disappointment quietly derail careers that could otherwise be thriving. The conversation moves through five specific sabotage patterns Jen has identified from decades of coaching: focusing on lack and comparison instead of stewardship, trying to control what only God can control, letting rejection turn into discouragement, staying busy while avoiding the actual business-building work, and living in the past instead of moving forward. Along the way, Garrett shares personal stories from parenting his own kids, coaching new agents, and his own struggles staying focused on high-value activities instead of busywork like tweaking a Canva graphic for the fifteenth time. Jen also shares a practical exercise she uses with every agent she coaches: a time and energy audit. For three to seven days, agents track what they actually do every 30 minutes from wake-up to bedtime, then circle what genuinely moved the business forward versus what just felt productive. The results, she says, are consistently eye-opening — even for agents 25 years into their careers. This episode is a gut-check for any agent who's felt stuck, discouraged, or like they're somehow behind where "everyone else" seems to be on social media. Jen and Garrett make the case that the industry doesn't fail agents nearly as often as agents fail themselves — and that recognizing the pattern is the first step toward breaking it. Key Takeaways Self-sabotage often hides behind "outside forces." Agents blame the market, interest rates, or client behavior for problems that actually stem from their own habits, fear, and mindset.Sabotage #1 — Focusing on lack and comparison instead of stewardship. Social media makes it easy to compare your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel, which pulls attention away from what God has actually entrusted to you.Sabotage #2 — Trying to control what only God can control. Agents burn emotional energy on things outside their sphere of influence — rates, buyer decisions, timing — instead of focusing on the input they're actually responsible for.Sabotage #3 — Letting rejection become discouragement. Discouragement is a feeling; defeat is a decision. Rejection is part of the job — it only becomes a problem when you let it dictate your next move.Sabotage #4 — Staying busy but avoiding the right work. Logo tweaks, website updates, and social graphics feel productive but often function as a hiding place from the real business-building activities: calls, follow-up, and relationship-building.Sabotage #5 — Living in the past. Letting yesterday's disappointing client or deal define how you show up today keeps agents stuck in fear instead of moving forward.The time and energy audit works. Tracking every 30 minutes for a few days — and honestly circling what moved the business forward — is one of the fastest ways to see where self-sabotage is hiding in your schedule.One Practical Step Pick one of the five sabotage patterns that hit closest to home, and run a short time audit: for the next 3–7 days, write down what you're doing every 30 minutes from the moment you wake up. At the end, circle every activity that genuinely moved your business forward — and be honest about everything else. Connect with Jennifer Morin Book: Beyond the Sale: Unlocking Your Full Potential as a New Real Estate Agent - https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Sale-Unlocking-Potential-Estate/dp/B0FKQLWL94Blog: Rookie Real Estate Agent - https://rookiereagent.com/Social: Instagram and Facebook @Rookie Real Estate Agent / @Jenifer MorinIn person: Meet Jen at The Gathering, September 10–11 in Northern Virginia!Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FIRST50 for 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ------- Prayer isn't a substitute for the work. But the work was never meant to happen without prayer. Is prayer a lead generation strategy? It's a question that sounds simple on the surface, but it opens the door to a much deeper conversation about faith, work, stewardship, and the purpose of business. In this episode, Garrett, Janet, and Cole wrestle with the tension many Christian entrepreneurs feel: If God is sovereign, what role do our effort, discipline, and strategy actually play? Rather than offering easy answers, the conversation explores the biblical balance between trusting God completely while faithfully using the gifts, opportunities, and wisdom He has already provided. The hosts discuss why prayer should never become a substitute for action, but also why relentless hustle without dependence on God inevitably leads to pride, anxiety, and misplaced identity. Throughout the discussion, they challenge the idea that prayer is a formula for getting more clients and instead present it as a means of surrendering our ambitions, aligning our hearts with God's will, and allowing Him to reshape our motives.  The conversation also dives into practical questions every agent faces. Should you pray specifically for listings and buyers? How do you know whether you're pursuing success for God's glory or your own? What does it look like to faithfully work when you aren't seeing results? Why does God call us to persistence when He already knows the outcome? These questions lead to a thoughtful discussion about stewardship, obedience, and the mystery of God's sovereignty alongside human responsibility.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Prayer is not your business strategy—it is your posture. Prayer isn't designed to replace faithful work but to continually surrender your plans, motives, and ambitions to God. Faith and action were never meant to compete. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to pray faithfully while also stewarding the opportunities, talents, and responsibilities He's entrusted to them. God gave you both a heart and a mind. Trusting the Lord doesn't mean refusing to make decisions or waiting indefinitely for perfect clarity. He also expects us to use wisdom, discernment, and the rational abilities He created us with. The condition of your heart matters as much as the condition of your business. Before asking God for more clients, it's worth asking why you want them. Prayer often reveals whether our ambition is rooted in service or self. God is more interested in your surrender than your success. A growing business means very little if it comes at the expense of intimacy with Christ or obedience to His calling. You can't copy someone else's calling. Every agent has different gifts, personalities, and opportunities. Instead of imitating another person's strategy, seek the unique way God has equipped you to serve others. Persistence is part of faithfulness. Farmers don't dig up seeds every day to check their progress. Likewise, faithful agents continue planting, serving, and following up—even before they see the harvest. You control the input, not the outcome. We plant, water, and faithfully work. God alone produces the growth. That truth frees us from both pride when business is booming and despair when it isn't. Prayer reshapes us before it changes our circumstances. The greatest work God often does through prayer isn't increasing our business—it's increasing our trust, refining our character, and aligning our desires with His will. Prayer without effort can become presumption. Effort without prayer can become pride. ONE PRACTICAL STEP Before you start your workday tomorrow, spend five minutes praying one simple prayer: "Lord, show me who You want me to serve today. Give me the wisdom to recognize the opportunities You've placed in front of me, the courage to act on them, and the humility to trust You with the results."Then get to work. Make the calls. Send the messages. Follow up with people. Trust that your responsibility is faithfulness—the outcome belongs to God. CONNECT WITH JANET: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Janet.Brinck.Realtor Website - https://www.thesaltyagent.com/ Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FIRST50 for 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] ------- He weighed 340 pounds, was $100K+ in debt, unemployed, and sitting in the shower crying, thinking about not being here anymore. Then a random Bible verse notification on his watch snapped him out of it. Tanner Helm rebuilt his faith, his family, and a real estate business from literally nothing using four checkboxes a day. This is what surrender actually looks like when you stop pretending you have it together. EPISODE OVERVIEW Tanner Helm isn't here to tell you a polished success story. He's here to tell you the truth about what happens when a Christian real estate agent tries to build a business without ever inviting God into it, and what it costs to rebuild after everything falls apart. Tanner got into real estate 13 years ago at 19, married with kids, selling copiers before stumbling into title insurance and eventually real estate. He built a team in Southern California, did $14-15 million in volume his first year, then moved his family to Bend, Oregon, chasing a slower pace of life. What followed was a brokerage coaching role, years of solid production, and a slow disconnect from his faith that he didn't even notice happening. He describes it plainly: he treated his business and his spirituality as two separate things, and by the end of 2022, after one of his best professional years ever, he was so burnt out he stopped responding to clients altogether. He quit real estate in January 2023 and took a job sweeping floors at a commercial construction site, just to escape the pressure of thinking. That's not where the story bottoms out. A head-on collision on an icy Oregon highway with his wife and four kids in the car became the moment reality hit — that he was fully out of control, not just behind the wheel, but in every area of his life. A men's conference reignited something. A move to Idaho followed. And then came the real low: a failed construction business, mounting debt, his wife going to work every morning while he pretended to get ready for a job he didn't have, and a season where he admits he was suicidal. The turning point wasn't dramatic. A verse-of-the-day notification on his watch, mid-breakdown in the shower, was enough to make him get up and write four words on a notepad: Faith. Family and marriage. Business. Health. One small action in each category, every single day. That simple structure — not a strategy, not a system, just consistent daily obedience — became the foundation for a complete turnaround: real estate license renewed, income restored, a coaching business built on stewardship instead of hustle, and a business he now describes as fully surrendered to God. Whether you're a Christian entrepreneur in a season of burnout, rebuilding after failure, or just trying to figure out what biblical business principles actually look like day to day, Tanner's story is proof that God doesn't need you to have it together — He just needs you to take the next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS Compartmentalizing faith and business is its own kind of burnout. Tanner's disconnect wasn't rebellion — it was quietly treating his spiritual life and his real estate business as separate categories. That gap is where the exhaustion lived.God can't guide steps you're not taking. The line that stopped Tanner cold in prayer: "What steps? You're not taking any steps. I can't guide steps you're not taking." Surrender doesn't mean passivity — it means moving and trusting God with the outcome.Small, daily, unglamorous obedience compounds. The four-checkbox system (faith, family/marriage, business, health) worked because it was doable on the worst days — "return an email," "answer the phone" counted as a win.Rock bottom is often a mirror, not a punishment. The car accident, the debt, the depression weren't random bad luck — Tanner describes them as a reflection of the direction he'd already been drifting for years.A second chance in business is a stewardship opportunity, not just a comeback. Tanner didn't just rebuild his real estate career — he rebuilt it asking, "How do I steward this well this time?"ONE PRACTICAL STEP Tonight, write down four words on a notepad: Faith. Family. Business. Health. Tomorrow morning, before you check your phone or your CRM, commit to one small action in each — one prayer, one text to your spouse or kid, one email you've been avoiding, one walk. Don't aim for a system. Aim for four checkmarks. That's the whole practice — and it's the one that took Tanner from the shower floor to a business fully surrendered to God. CONNECT WITH TANNER Instagram - @tannerhelm Website - https://collectivegrowthcoaching.com/ Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]

Get your ticket for The Gathering! Use code FIRST50 for 50% off - https://stan.store/AlignedAgent/p/the-gathering--tz4xi2mg Interested in generating more deals from referral relationships? Learn more here - https://proinsight.info/faithful Have questions or need help? 📧  Email Me - [email protected] -------- Mortgage applications just fell two weeks in a row, even with rates coming down. Buyers are picky. Sellers are still living in 2021. And somewhere in the middle is you, trying to have an honest conversation nobody wants to have. Let's talk about it.  Garrett and Cole sit down for a real-talk conversation about what's actually happening in real estate right now, July 2026, high interest rates, an oversupply of listings, and buyers who have become notably picky. As top Christian real estate agents, they unpack why so many struggles agents are facing right now trace back to one root issue: unmanaged expectations. From sellers who still expect a 2021-style quick sale to buyers who put in offers and casually back out, Garrett and Cole walk through the exact scripts, frameworks, and systems they use with clients to keep negotiations rational instead of emotional. The conversation covers Garrett's four-week marketing plan and 30-day price adjustment framework, the "Friday video update" system for keeping sellers informed without ambushing them, and why he only shares negative showing feedback with sellers (never positive). They dig into the psychology behind pricing decisions, including a breakdown of the endowment effect using a Duke vs. UNC basketball ticket study, and a surprisingly effective Zillow views-to-saves ratio trick for showing sellers real-time proof of pricing accuracy. On the buyer side, they discuss how to run effective buyer consultations, the "non-negotiables checklist" exercise, and a clever trust-building tactic: sharing your own personal home inspection report with clients before they get spooked by theirs. Throughout, the two return to their core conviction as faith-based realtors: this is a hard market, but it's not about speed — it's about skill, service, and building a referral-based real estate business rooted in trust rather than transactional commodity work. They close with a reminder from Romans 12:10 about honoring one another in every negotiation, and a preview of THE GATHERING, their two-day Christian real estate conference happening September 10–11 at the Dulles Airport Marriott in Northern Virginia. Key Takeaways Nobody gets angry until they're surprised. Set expectations at the listing appointment — average days on market, the game plan, and exactly when and why a price adjustment will happen — so sellers are never blindsided.Talk to the rational brain, not the emotional brain. Introduce hard news (like an upcoming price reduction) a week before you actually need the seller to act on it, so it's not tied to the moment you're asking them to change something.Use a four-week marketing plan with a built-in price adjustment clause, signed by the seller in advance, so there's already agreement in place before emotions run high.Only share negative showing feedback with sellers — positive feedback doesn't give them anything actionable and can create false confidence.The endowment effect is real, whether it's a basketball ticket, a piece of gum, or a $500,000 house — sellers consistently overvalue what they already own compared to what buyers are willing to pay.Zillow's views-to-saves ratio can be a powerful pricing conversation tool. Roughly 10% of viewers saving a listing suggests it's priced correctly; well under that suggests it's overpriced.Run real buyer consultations before writing offers — have buyers physically re-rank their non-negotiables against the house so decisions come from logic, not "rose-colored glasses."Share your own home inspection report (with permission if it's not yours) to normalize what a "scary-looking" inspection report actually means and build trust before a client's own inspection comes back.Referral-based business solves the trust problem at the root. When clients come to you already trusting you, hard conversations about price and expectations become dramatically easier than when you're just "the first person who called."Faithful agents are called to honor both sides of a transaction — buyer and seller — because ultimately these negotiations are an extension of representing Christ, not just closing a deal. One Practical Step This week, build (or update) your "expectations conversation" script for your next listing appointment. Before you present a price, walk the seller through: the current average days on market in your area, a specific day-count checkpoint for when you'll revisit pricing if there's no offer, and the exact dollar-amount adjustment you'd recommend at that checkpoint. Get their verbal (or written) agreement to that plan before the home ever hits the MLS, so if a price conversation becomes necessary at day 30 or 60, it's not a surprise, it's just following the plan you already agreed to together. Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you! 📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift 📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: [email protected]