26 New Year’s resolutions to repair your real estate business in 2026

2025 nearly broke the industry. Contributor Rachael Hite has 26 recommendations to clear your slate and repair what’s broken. (Some agents will absolutely hate No. 15.) If there was ever a year in real estate that steeled hearts and boosted work ethic, 2025 did that and then some. From Day 1, the mainstream attitude was to stop crying about affordability, lack of inventory and interest rates, and start figuring it out. Through personal and professional strife, many agents did just that; they made it work for their clients and pushed through. But pushing through often creates collateral damage or working around best practices that fall to the wayside when everything feels like a crisis. This year, my word of the year is “repair,” and if you’re like me, there is plenty of room for improvement. I’m working to leave a little less stress behind and leverage more fun in my sales process. Here are my 26 resolutions for 2026: There is a version of this on my resolution list every year, but this year, especially, my sales career overtook my personal life. I’ll be reinforcing boundaries for my day, so I get enough rest at night. A huge pitfall for every part of the sales process? Assuming everyone understands their role and what they need to do. Prescheduling at least two networking lunches with referral partners, so they know I care beyond a busy transaction. My family needs to see me, or I’m losing touch with the “why” of my business. I’m choosing only one after-work event that will maximize my connections. Only the best one. If I make a mistake, I’m going to debrief with the involved parties with an intentional meeting and take notes about what worked well and what could have been improved. When things go sideways, I’m going to make sure that I take accountability and present solutions, even if things were out of my control, and my clients just had terrible luck. I’ve recently cut my presentations in half, and my guides have turned into one-page checklists. Less is more for overwhelmed consumers, colleagues and admins. I’m asking less of my clients. When it comes to digital and print forms, I make sure my clients have to do the least amount of work possible. This reduces errors significantly for my team and my admins, and it improves communication. Before I get off the phone with a client, a vendor or a referral partner, I let them know the next steps. I also repeat the next steps in a text (if possible). Some of you will hate this, but I have had so much better luck moving some of my communication and documentation back to paper. I still send digital copies, but moving things back to paper and letting people take their own notes and have something in hand to reference has been a game-changer for my clients of all ages. I have found that some of my clients reply fastest on Facebook, some of them love texting, and others want a leisurely phone call. In my initial conversation with folks, I take note of their schedule, who is important to them and how they like to communicate. I know that Ted works nights, and Jessica works from home. I know who is Team Zoom and who is Team Teams. These simple questions can heal bumpy transactions from herding cats to lining up ducks in a row. If you take a day off and you have plans with your loved ones, no, you cannot come in, answer the phone or break away. Let your special people know that they are a priority and tag in a trusted team member. This one is tough, especially if you are maxed out from personal problems, not a plush pipeline. But trust me, this will be the cheapest aspirin you will ever take. If you are uncomfortable, there is likely a good reason. Is someone asking you to bend the rules, look the other way, not disclose or leave someone out? If we want to repair relationships with consumers, we have to get really transparent about folks who are looking to color outside the lines. Until you know the full story about where the money goes, which politicians it funds and the impact it is truly making, Realtors need to give this entire process a second look. Want to donate to charities that make an impact on housing? I’ve got a great list here. No bullshit, no red tape or posh donor dinners. Choose a tax write-off that goes directly where you want it to help those in need and to improve real estate in your community, and not a random gamble that someone funded by RPAC dollars politics is going to keep their campaign promises. Tantrums, shouting arguments, slamming doors, calls late at night, colleagues and vendors saying vulgar or racist things in front of you, customers asking inappropriate things about your sex life, or topics that make you uncomfortable. Speak up for yourself, and don’t tolerate that in your presence. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of all work and no fun. It is so easy to get lost in the busyness of a transaction and forget to celebrate the small wins, those special times when things go right. Here are 10 things I’m resolving to do, so I can bring back the fun for myself, my clients and my colleagues. Not necessarily food-related, but I’m researching trending things to bring joy to friends, family and clients randomly. Everyone deserves a little treat, and sometimes gifting them is a treat to yourself. I’ll be taking more in-person meetings and always sharing coffee, a snack, an ice-cold drink or some kind of refreshment. There is a really good chance the person you are meeting with is a little dehydrated (and you may be, too). We just don’t drink enough. Fellowship over a snack turns a tense meeting into a relationship-building experience. Host fewer events, but make sure the events you do have for your clients or prospects are creative and memorable. Quality over quantity. If you do this well, you will never have to worry if anyone is going to show up at your client appreciation event again. The game changer for me? Tablescapes, live floral, live music, a curated menu, and fantastic door prizes and goody bags. When someone does something awesome, I’m going to praise it in person or with a card. I’m going to brag, I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader. If something closes on time, we are going to party. Let’s skip the branding and give them something that they will use and that won’t end up in a thrift store or landfill. If you are doing your follow-ups right, you don’t need to buy bulk swag. Music can be universal. Build your ultimate focus playlist, celebration playlist, teamwork playlist, etc., and share it. Gift local music events as giveaways on social media. Be known as the rockstar agent, who knows the best homes and the best local entertainment. Gen Z is trying to claim this is new, but throwing your hobby supplies into a tote bag has been around for decades. It is a great reminder that getting offline can be a great gift for yourself and others. Take up a new hobby (I’m getting back to watercolors) and maybe make a few extras to offer clients when they come to visit you in the office. These also make great closing gifts. The secret is to not let that bag sit, and tap back in to spending some mindful time OFF the line. Get out of signal; tell folks you are not always accessible at every moment of the day. Go touch grass. Take time to get some fresh air, and take a walk whenever you can. Do you know what is not fun and whimsical? Feeling like you are going to crash out every time your phone rings, pings or vibrates because you are completely overstimulated. Take and be in more intentional pictures. Don’t just share them on social media, but make copies and drop them in the mail to folks. Do you know what makes people really smile? Do you know what instantly makes my mom’s day, although I’m almost 44 years old? Sending her pictures. There is something really special about taking the extra time to make art, copies or real, tangible copies of photos for friends, family and clients. Also, this can double as an analog hobby if you do it right. Why choose “repair” as the theme for 2026? Because this industry has been ripped into so many pieces that it’s hard to recognize which direction is up. We need to repair our relationships with ourselves, our loved ones, but most importantly, we need to repair the trust that consumers deserve from their home purchase or selling experience. No hacks, no shortcuts, just full transparency and the promise that next year, we are going to do better. This is the year to take back control of your business and build trust with consumers. You don’t have to participate in the chaos, but you can choose to chase down joy. Rachael Hite is a senior housing counselor, writer, and thought leader in real estate and aging. Follow her work on Instagram and LinkedIn.