Year after year, January is consistently the best month for prospectors, especially if you are wondering how to get more listings. And 2025 is projected to be even better. The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) chief economist is forecasting a substantial home sales rebound in both existing and new home sales. This means January 2025 and beyond holds a huge opportunity for agents.
After 20+ years in the industry and thousands of interviews with top-performing agents, we have found one thing that never changes: success in real estate isn’t about luck—it’s about having the right strategies and tools.
With the massive commission opportunity coming in 2025, January is your chance to build a powerful pipeline and create consistent income throughout the year.
In this article, you’ll discover why 2025 will be successful for agents, why you need to get ahead in January, and which tools can help you take advantage of this opportunity.
A Bullish Forecast Points to a Breakout Year
NAR’s chief economist is signaling that 2025 will be a turning point. After years of low inventory and interest-rate concerns, the market will have more opportunities for agents.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Growth in Existing Home Sales: Look forward to higher transaction volume and expanded opportunities to match buyers with the right listings with a 9% projected rise in existing sales.
- Surge in New Home Sales: Builders and agents specializing in new construction will find more buyers eager to explore fresh inventory (projected 11% in 2025 and 8% in 2026).
- A Healthier Balance: As inventory constraints ease, buyers and sellers benefit from a more stable market—perfect conditions for prospecting agents.
This isn’t the month to hit the brakes—it’s the month to lay the groundwork for success. With fewer distractions and more expired listings entering the market, agents who take the lead in January will position themselves for a strong year ahead.
Why January Leads the Way
January being the best prospecting month isn’t a coincidence. REDX’s early housing data shows that this year will see approximately 23.3% more expired listings compared to the same time last year. It’s also a pivotal moment: the holiday season is behind us, buyers and sellers reset their goals, and fresh leads flood the market. Couple this seasonal advantage with the bullish forecast for 2025, and you have a rare opportunity to start the year with unprecedented momentum.
Key Reasons January Shines:
- Refocused Clients: After the holidays, serious buyers and sellers refocus their efforts, creating a pool of highly motivated prospects.
- Strategic Advantage: While the market may be slower initially, those who stay consistent can stand out in a competitive environment.
- Long-Term Pipeline Building: Leads you secure in January can fuel your deal flow for months, setting the tone for a successful year.
How to Capitalize in January (and Beyond)
1. Prepare Your Early Prospecting Strategy
In January, agents who are prepared to prospect Expired Leads are most likely to capitalize on the early growth forecast. Focusing on data-driven lead generation ensures that you target individuals most likely to convert.
Practical Steps:
- Leverage High-Value Data: Use REDX Expired Leads to identify homeowners who didn’t sell previously. In 2024, 33% of expired listings from January ended up relisting with a new agent.
- Centralize Your Information: Keep track of every lead, note, and follow-up to act quickly when interest is at its peak.
- Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: Utilize filters and insights to spend time on the leads with the greatest potential, rather than scattering efforts too broadly.
If you don’t have a way of tracking leads, keeping notes, and prioritizing the hottest leads that come in, Vortex (REDX’s built-in LMS) helps you keep track of every lead you prospected, keep notes, and build in filters so you know who you talked to, who you haven’t talked to, and who best to follow up with next.
2. Maximize Opportunities with Strategic Branding & Marketing
Brand visibility and trust are crucial year-round, but January is prime time to connect with motivated buyers and sellers reassessing their goals and ready to take the first steps toward a sale. Capitalize on this opportunity with strategic branding that sets you up as the best person for the job.
Branding Essentials:
- Consistent Identity: Social Media is a huge selling opportunity to demonstrate yourself as a knowledgeable agent. With Brand Builder, REDX helps you establish a polished presence that stands out.
- Insightful Content: Start the year strong with content that addresses common January questions: What should sellers do now to prepare their homes? How can buyers leverage the market upswing? Positioning yourself as a guide fosters trust.
- Targeted Ads: Increase visibility with Ad Builder. Launch strategic ad campaigns that reach your ideal audience right when they’re most engaged with their real estate goals.
3. Fine-Tune Your Prospecting Communication
January presents unique opportunities for agents to refine their prospecting approach and stand out in a competitive market. With fewer distractions and an influx of expired and relisted properties, this is the perfect time to hone your communication strategies and connect with motivated homeowners.
Key Skills to Develop
- Quick Response Times: Speed is essential when reaching out to leads and helps convey confidence. To improve your response time, use prospecting scripts to structure your communication. Scripts can ensure that your responses are prompt, professional, and tailored to each homeowner’s situation.
- Market Mastery: Deep knowledge of current market trends, including interest rate fluctuations and neighborhood pricing shifts, equips you to provide actionable insights that resonate with potential clients. Subscribe to tools like Keeping Current Matters and REDX Geoleads PLUS can help you build your local and regional knowledge.
- Transparent Communication: Be upfront about timelines, processes, and next steps. Homeowners remember the agents who guided them clearly through the early-year market shuffle.
If you aren’t confident in your ability to prospect, you may want to consider signing up for REDX’s 3-Day Prospecting Bootcamp, where our experts guide you through the process of how to prospect, when to prospect, and what to say when you’re on the phone.
Be the Go-To Agent
Win Early, Win Often
The influx of Expired Leads in January plus a 2025 market poised for growth equals a golden opportunity for you. By refining strategies, selecting the right tools, and honing your approach you will set the stage for a year of listings.
Why It Matters:
- Immediate Impact: Start strong in January, and you’ll have a healthy pipeline fueling your success through spring and beyond.
- Competitive Edge: Many agents try to play catch-up later in the year. Your proactive start positions you as the expert clients trust from the get-go.
Become the Trusted Advisor
Potential clients will hire an agent who understands the market, speaks with confidence, and provides value.
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- Hyper-Local Insights: Use January’s energy to double down on neighborhood data, emerging developments, and pricing trends. Homeowners appreciate real-time relevance.
- Tailored Strategies: Each buyer or seller has unique goals. Highlight your ability to customize strategies so clients feel seen, supported, and confident.
- Develop a Backup Plan: Homeowners may trust an agent who understands the ‘not now’ pushback and offers an alternative timeline to sell. If you need to, consider asking a lead to join your email list for another time in the future.
To really set yourself up for success, consider REDX Geoleads PLUS. These leads give you key insights and information about what is happening in any local market – so you can always answer key questions like “is now really a good time to sell?”
Start 2025 with Confidence
There is a massive listing opportunity in front of you if you have the right tools to take advantage of it.
Steps to Take Now:
- Optimize Your Toolkit:
Integrate REDX Expired Leads, Brand Builder, Ad Builder, and Teams to streamline your January outreach and engagement. - Fine-Tune Your Processes:
Get your workflows, communication strategies, and follow-up schedules ready for a surge in interest right at the start of the year. - Own the Early-Year Momentum:
Leverage January’s unique opportunities to lock in valuable leads, build rapport, and set the tone for a successful 2025.
January being the top prospecting month for agents aligns perfectly with the optimistic 2025 outlook. Start the new year armed with the right strategies, tools, and mindset to consistently generate deals all year long.
