Advertise on podcast: The Tom Toole Sales Group Podcast

🆕 Stay up to date on all the latest topics while Tom Toole and Sarah Tymon give our community a place to learn about the real estate market and industry trends on Toole Time Real Estate Radio ... ⏰ 👀 Tune in LIVE on WWDB-AM 860 and this page EVERY TUESDAY @3:00PM! 🎙 👉🏼  This week's topic recap: 🏦 🗳️ • The 5 Key Takeaways from the recent Fed Meeting Including a Path to 7% Rates and Less Votes on Rates. 🚆 🛒 • Main Line News: Pottstown Gets A Railroad Grant and Whole Foods Coming to Neshaminy Mall 🔑 📆 • New Listings and Open Houses this weekend

Leads not calling you back? Most agents make one or two attempts, hear nothing, and give up. The NAR average is just 2.7 attempts, but your odds of starting a conversation jump to over 90% at the sixth attempt and beyond. In this episode of Best Agent Hacks, Tom Toole breaks down 5 proven strategies to start more conversations, set more appointments, and sell more homes. What you'll learn: ✅ Strategy 1: Open with a fact and a question. Use neighbor sales data for sellers and properties of interest for buyers, instead of "just checking in." ✅ Strategy 2: Re-engage cold leads with an A/B question. "Have you put those plans on pause, or are you still thinking about moving?" ✅ Strategy 3: Send a text right after every voicemail. People are at work or busy, and a text often gets the reply a call doesn't. ✅ Strategy 4: Make more attempts. Every 4 to 6 dials starts a conversation, backed by years of team data. ✅ Strategy 5: Send a personalized video text. A quick, friendly video cuts through the noise. A lack of response doesn't mean they don't want to work with you. It usually means they haven't had a chance to respond yet. That's when you double down, not give up.

Video tours and a big social media following don’t mean an agent will get you results when you’re buying or selling a home. In this episode of Tom’s Take, Tom Toole explains why views aren’t the same as business, and gives you a simple four-step process to find an agent who will actually deliver. Many agents post elaborate video walkthroughs of homes they never listed or sold. They booked a showing and asked the listing agent if they could film it. And the following behind those videos often isn’t local. It’s usually friends and agents from their national brokerage, not buyers and sellers in your market. The 4-step process to vet an agent: 1. Interview at least 2 or 3 agents. Most people hire the first agent they meet. Having options helps you make a better decision. 2. Look up their production. Check sites like Zillow and Homes.com, and if they’re on a team, look up the team’s production too. 3. Read their client reviews. Past performance isn’t a guarantee, but it’s one of the best ways to judge an agent. 4. Ask for their plan. How will they market your home, keep you updated, and find homes that fit what you want? “Look online and call me when you see something” isn’t a plan. For buyers: Before you start touring homes, set up a short 15 to 20 minute strategy meeting by phone, video, or in person. Since the NAR settlement, buyers in Pennsylvania and across the country need to sign a buyer agreement before touring, so this meeting helps you know what to expect and who you’re working with.

I lost a closed client this past week, and it stung. But it exposed a money leak that almost every agent has: we don’t do a good enough job taking care of our past clients. In this episode of Best Agent Hacks, Tom Toole breaks down the plan he’s using to call every single closed client before the end of the year, and the one phone call that delivers emotional, educational, and tangible value all at once. The 3 strategies: 1. The Holiday Gratitude Call (Emotional Value): The easiest call you’ll make all year. Thank your past clients, let them know you appreciate them, and reconnect. 2. The Annual Home Equity Review (Educational Value): Offer to show them what’s happening in the market and what similar homes have sold for. Ask about improvements, note them in your CRM, then deliver a video CMA with a screen recorder. Position yourself like a financial advisor giving a portfolio review. 3. Contractor Referrals (Tangible Value): Be the go-to resource for plumbers, electricians, and general contractors your clients can trust. Combine all three on a single call and you’ll stand out, become more referable, and reconnect with clients who may be thinking about moving themselves. Pro tip: Don’t batch email everyone at once. Chunk your calls into a set number per day so you can deliver on every review you promise.

Mortgage rates hit their highest level of the year just weeks ago and are still hovering in the mid-7% range. So is there a path back to 7% or lower before the holidays? There is, but it would take four things going perfectly at the same time. In this episode of Tom’s Take, Tom Toole breaks down the four events that would need to happen for rates to fall below 7%, why he doesn’t expect all four to line up, and what today’s market means for buyers and sellers in Philadelphia and the suburbs. What would have to happen for rates to drop: 1. The Iran conflict ends and oil prices fall 2. Softness in the AI tech build-out and financing 3. No escalation in the trade war or new tariffs 4. Weaker economic and labor data, with the 10-year yield above 5% What it means for sellers: Inventory in the suburbs is still under two months of supply, and closer to four months in Philadelphia. Prices are still rising at a more moderate pace, so pricing right at or just below the last comparable sale matters more than ever. What it means for buyers: Canceled listings in the Philadelphia metro area are up over 40% compared to last year, and inventory is up almost 20%. The next 60 days could be full of opportunity for buyers who are ready to negotiate and make strong offers on homes that have been sitting. The bottom line: The market we’re in is the market we’re going to be in. Understanding that will help you make better real estate decisions now and in 2027. Timestamps: 0:00 Can rates get back to 7% before the holidays? 0:53 The 4 things that would have to happen 0:57 #1: Iran conflict and oil prices 1:33 #2: AI tech build-out 2:03 #3: The trade war 2:30 #4: Economic and labor data 3:11 What could push rates higher 3:29 How likely is it? 4:19 What this means for sellers 5:15 What this means for buyers 6:25 The bottom line 📅 Want to talk about your real estate plans? Schedule a call with our team: [link] 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a Tom’s Take. Tom Toole Sales Group | RE/MAX Main Line
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🆕 Stay up to date on all the latest topics while Tom Toole and Sarah Tymon give our community a place to learn about the real estate market and industry trends on Toole Time Real Estate Radio ... ⏰ 👀 Tune in LIVE on WWDB-AM 860 and this page EVERY TUESDAY @3:00PM! 🎙 👉🏼  This week's topic recap: 📉 🏠 • Will Rates Go Below 7% Before the Holidays, 4 Year Historical Low in Re-Sale Turnover, FTC’s Letter About Real Estate 🏗️ 🍣 • Main Line News: City vs. Suburban Markets, Wawa is testing sushi, Chester County Residents are Organizing a Development 🔑 📆 • New Listings and Open Houses this weekend

Most real estate agents set goals for next year, then have no idea what to actually do each day to hit them. In this episode of Best Agent Hacks, Tom Toole breaks down a simple business plan that turns your income goal into weekly and daily activities you control. The new year really starts in November for real estate, since anything you sell late in the year won’t close until January. That makes right now the time to plan for 2027. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why focusing only on outcomes makes most business plans fail ✅ The difference between outcomes, objectives, and activities ✅ How to split your goal into listings and buyer side sales ✅ The 2 numbers every agent needs to track: listing sign rate and showings to executed contract ✅ Real examples: how many listing appointments and showings you need per week ✅ The daily activities that drive results: calls, conversations, open houses, direct mail, social media, and script practice When your days look the same, your year looks completely different. Track your numbers, let the data guide you, and build the business and life you got into real estate for.

🆕 Stay up to date on all the latest topics while Tom Toole and Sarah Tymon give our community a place to learn about the real estate market and industry trends on Toole Time Real Estate Radio ... ⏰ 👀 Tune in LIVE on WWDB-AM 860 and this page EVERY TUESDAY @3:00PM! 🎙 👉🏼  This week's topic recap: 🤖 🏠 • Did Rates Hit Their Peak, Market Conditions Survey by a Realtor, Pricing Indicators Based On Three Maps, Lowest Pending Sales in 12 Years, AI and the Purchase Process 📰 🏘️ • Main Line News: Fastest Growing Communities, Merion Golf Course Named an Anchor Site, and the Upper Providence Township Development 🔑 📆 • New Listings and Open Houses this weekend

Clients judge you on every call, text, email, and post. Most agents lose business before they ever get to the listing appointment. In this episode, Tom breaks down the five ways agents communicate with clients every day and shows how to be more professional in each one. 📞 Phone Answer with a professional greeting, state your purpose, and record a voicemail that doesn’t cost you deals. Deliver bad news by phone, stay calm, and end every call with clear next steps. 💬 Text Sign your texts, drop the abbreviations, and proofread before you hit send. When a long, emotional message comes in, move it to a phone call. 📧 Email Use clear subject lines and a clean signature that meets legal requirements. Answer the question first, then give your advice. Assume every email will be forwarded, and wait a day before sending an angry one. 🤝 Face to Face Show up on time, silence your phone, take notes, and leave every meeting with clear next steps. 📱 Social Media Accuracy beats hype. Get permission before posting clients, follow advertising rules, use a current headshot, and don’t announce a sale until it closes. The rule Tom ends with: respond the same day, and put important conversations in writing. Pick 2 or 3 of these and start using them this week. The more professional you are, the more professional clients you’ll attract.

🆕 Stay up to date on all the latest topics while Tom Toole and Sarah Tymon give our community a place to learn about the real estate market and industry trends on Toole Time Real Estate Radio ... ⏰ 👀 Tune in LIVE on WWDB-AM 860 and this page EVERY TUESDAY @3:00PM! 🎙 👉🏼  This week's topic recap: 📈 🔮 • Inventory is Accelerating, Mortgage Rates Shoot Up, and Realtor.com inventory predictions 🏙️ 📰 • Main Line News: Downtown Wayne Master Plan, 4 Day School Week for Upper Darby, New Upper Providence Township Development 🔑 📆 • New Listings and Open Houses this weekend

Rates just hit a 52-week high, and there's a lot of negativity among real estate agents and leaders right now. But we've been here before: the 2020 shutdown, 8% rates in 2023. In this episode of Best Agent Hacks, Tom Toole shares five practical ways to keep a positive mindset in a challenging market, because negative energy gets passed on to your clients. In this video, you'll learn how to: ✅ Get obsessed with your inputs, not your outputs ✅ Detach from the outcome so one lost deal doesn't ruin your day ✅ Reframe objections, because a "no" often means "not right now" ✅ Track your progress with a visual scoreboard ✅ Treat mistakes and losses as learning experiences Tom also shares a study his team ran: after rates topped 7% on September 10, more than 1,800 homes went under contract across the greater Philadelphia area in 20 days. That's 3,600 transaction sides. The business is out there. You've got to go find it.

🆕 Stay up to date on all the latest topics while Tom Toole and Sarah Tymon give our community a place to learn about the real estate market and industry trends on Toole Time Real Estate Radio ... ⏰ 👀 Tune in LIVE on WWDB-AM 860 and this page EVERY TUESDAY @3:00PM! 🎙 👉🏼  This week's topic recap: 📈 🏦 • Mortgage Rates Have Hit Their 2026 High, Why this is happening, and Media Down Payments Fall to a 4 Year Low 📰 🏗️ • Main Line News: New Development in Parkesburg and Angela Beers Running for the Board of Directors for Tri-County Suburban Realtors 🔑 🏡 • New Listings and Open Houses this weekend

Rates just hit a 52-week high, and the 10-year Treasury yield jumped to its highest level since 2007. Transactions are down, but they don't go to zero. In this episode of Best Agent Hacks, Tom Toole shares the exact script his team uses to find the people who will move anyway. It's built on Phil Jones' Opening, Fact, Question (OFQ) framework. Here's the call: "Hey Brian, it's Tom Toole with RE/MAX. It's been about 90 days since we last spoke, and I was just curious, is making a move still something you're considering, or have you put that on pause?" Then stop talking. In this video, you'll learn: ✅ How to use your CRM to set up every follow-up call ✅ Why an A/B choice question gets people talking ✅ What to say when a lead says they've "paused" ✅ How to uncover motivation using the D's (death, divorce, relocation, default, diamonds, diapers, downsizing, dogs) ✅ Why you should raise your daily conversation goal from 15 to 20 or 25 in a high-rate market ✅ How to turn the same script into a text and a voicemail follow-up ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Rates hit a 52-week high 0:21 Transactions don't go to zero 0:45 The OFQ script 1:41 When they say "we paused" 2:02 Qualifying questions and motivation 2:56 Why the OFQ works 3:23 Raise your conversation numbers 4:11 Text, voicemail, and property drips 4:41 The plan The best automation out there is still talking to people.

The fourth quarter is when many real estate agents lose consistency—but it doesn't have to be that way. Instead of chasing the one big “trophy” deal, focus on motivated clients, the price points you consistently close, and the daily activities that keep your pipeline full. In this episode, we break down three mindset shifts that can help you finish the year strong and build momentum heading into 2027: prioritize motivation over price point, stay committed to daily prospecting and appointments, and use your own business data to identify your bread-and-butter business. The goal isn't to swing for the fences every time. It's to consistently get on base.

For the first time in three years, the Federal Reserve hiked the key interest rate by 25 basis points on a unanimous 12-0 vote. Here is the part most people get wrong: a Fed hike does not automatically push mortgage rates up. Mortgage rates actually ticked down a few hundredths of a point on Thursday, according to Mortgage News Daily. The hike was widely expected and already priced into the 30-year fixed. What is actually driving rates right now is oil above $100 a barrel and the conflict in the Middle East. Until that resolves, there is not much relief coming. One number worth knowing: strip energy and food out of the inflation data and core is running 2.4% year over year, very close to the Fed's 2% target. Include them and it is in the mid 3% range. That is a big difference, and it explains a lot about where this goes next. If you're selling: Price for reality using the comp-based model. Suburban Philadelphia homes are selling between 97% and 99.6% of list, which tells you what the market will actually bear. Then watch the milestones: are you getting showings in the first ten days, and are you getting an offer after ten showings? If not, it is time for a price adjustment. You have about three and a half to four months before we hit 2027. If you're buying: Focus on the monthly payment, not the rate. Taxes, insurance, principal and interest, and purchase price all move that number, and in this market taxes swing hard from one township to the next. Then shop your financing. We had three lenders this summer beat the Mortgage News Daily quoted rate by two to three tenths of a point on closed deals. On a 7.19% quote, that is 6.89%. Get a referral rather than going online to a Rocket or a Wells Fargo, so you know the rate they quote is one they can actually deliver. Rates in the high sixes and low sevens are not new, and historically they are right in line with the long-run average for a 30-year fixed. This is a recalibration, not a crisis. People are still transacting. Want a plan built for your situation? Click the link in the comments. Tom Toole Sales Group at RE/MAX Main Line serves the Main Line, Chester County, Delaware County, and the greater Philadelphia suburbs.