The best deals this year might not come from Black Friday. While most people are shopping for gifts, some homebuyers could be shopping during one of the best times of year to negotiate. In several major metros, November and December have historically offered buyers a better shot at a deal, proving that the holiday slowdown isn’t necessarily a reason to step away from the market. |
Of course, motivated clients require motivated agents, and occasionally that means going a little beyond the job description. One agent recently took that quite literally by climbing through a window an hour before closing. He turned the whole experience into a hilarious response to the idea that AI will replace agents, and an even better lesson in how to market the human side of your business. |
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Here's what you need to know today: |
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The holidays are usually considered a slow time for real estate, but for some buyers, that slowdown can create an opportunity. A Redfin and Home Economics analysis found that early November is typically the best time to score a deal in Milwaukee, Riverside, and Tampa, while mid-December is the sweet spot in Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach. Fewer buyers are shopping, and sellers may be more willing to negotiate on listings that have lingered since summer.
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As an agent, I loved working with clients who started their search or stayed active during the holidays. If someone was willing to tour homes between Thanksgiving plans, holiday parties, and family gatherings, I knew they were usually serious. The same is true for sellers. The holidays have a way of making people notice that their home feels too small, or realize they want to live closer to family. Those conversations can turn into listings after the holidays, so I wouldn’t treat November and December as months to simply coast.
And these seven metros aren’t the only places where buyers may find seasonal opportunities. If you know this pattern happens in your market, talk about it. Buyers may have fewer fresh listings to choose from, but they could also face less competition and find sellers more open to negotiating. The key is knowing your local seasonal patterns and helping clients understand the trade-off between more choices and potentially getting a better deal.
What this means for agents: |
🎄 Don’t assume the market is dead during the holidays: The clients actively buying or selling during this period may be some of your most motivated.
📣 Market the seasonal opportunity: If buyers historically gain leverage late in the year in your market, give them a reason to keep looking. 📱 Keep talking to your sphere: Holiday gatherings can make homeowners rethink their space, location, and proximity to family. |
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What made you want to become a real estate agent? |
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What do you think matters most to buyers during a showing? |
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Owning a rental property is only part of the investment. You also have to collect the rent, track who has paid, follow up on late payments, and keep records organized. That may be manageable with one tenant, but as your portfolio grows, simplifying rent collection can save time and make managing your investments easier. |
That’s where online rent payment services can help. These platforms give tenants a more convenient way to pay while helping landlords automate recurring payments, track transactions, send reminders, and keep rental income records in one place. For investors, the goal is simple: make it as easy as possible for tenants to pay you and for you to manage incoming payments.
Not every platform works the same way, though. Fees, payment methods, processing times, automatic reminders, accounting features, and portfolio size can all affect which service makes sense. Rental property owners and investors are already using our guide to compare the best online rent payment services, showing that investors are already prioritizing simpler rent collection.
What investors should consider: |
- Convenience: Simple online payment options can make rent collection easier for both sides.
- Automation: Recurring payments and reminders can reduce the amount of monthly follow-up landlords have to do.
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Recordkeeping: Digital payment histories can make it easier to track rental income and maintain organized records.
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Your Move This Week: 💻 Review how you currently collect rent. ⚙️ Identify payment tasks you could automate.
💰 Compare fees, payment options, and processing times. |
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“AI will replace real estate agents in five years.” Realtor Matthew Meide had a pretty good response to that prediction: “Cool. Let me know when ChatGPT can crawl through a window an hour before closing to save a real estate deal.” His Instagram video, which shows him actually climbing through a window, earned more than 9,500 likes. But beyond being funny, I think it’s a great example of how agents can show their value without simply telling people how valuable they are.
The story behind the video is that the buyer’s agent couldn’t get into the house, closing was an hour away, and Meide was already headed to the closing attorney. So he turned around, found another way inside, and helped keep things moving. His caption sums it up perfectly: “AI can write the contract. I’ll climb through the window to get it closed.” It acknowledges that AI absolutely has a place in real estate while highlighting the human side of the business that technology can’t replicate.
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Screenshot via Matthewmeide_altrealtor |
As an agent, this social video especially made me laugh because I’ve been there. I’ve had to find creative ways into homes when a locked door stood between my clients and an important inspection or closing. These aren’t the glamorous moments that usually make it onto an agent’s Instagram feed, but stories like this can be more powerful than another post saying how hard you work for your clients. Meide shows exactly what he was willing to do when a problem came up, while keeping the story entertaining enough that people want to watch.
The comments also include agents sharing their own versions of the same experience, which makes his #humantouch hashtag particularly fitting. Real estate will always require that human element, whether it’s educating a nervous client, solving an unexpected problem, or apparently, climbing through a window. AI can make agents faster and more efficient, but the stories about what you actually do for clients are uniquely yours, and they are some of your best marketing material.
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California’s proposed billionaire tax might sound like a story that only matters to California brokers, but I’d put it on the agenda at your next office meeting no matter where you are. Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on California billionaires, and voters will decide on the measure tomorrow, November 3rd. It’s already generating conversations about whether some wealthy Californians could relocate, sell properties, or reconsider where they buy. That means the potential real estate effects don’t necessarily stop at the California border.
Realtor.com recently reported on a wealthy Californian who agreed to buy a nearly $20 million Palm Beach home as part of a broader plan to establish Florida residency. One broker quoted in the story put the potential ripple effect simply: “Every Californian who decides to leave is a buyer somewhere else.” But that doesn’t mean agents should start predicting a billionaire migration. The tax would directly affect a very small group, and people disagree on how much relocation it would actually cause. It shows that major policy proposals can influence real estate conversations and decisions before we know the final outcome.
That’s why I’d use this story in your next meeting regardless of what happens at the polls. If Proposition 40 passes, agents should understand what comes next and watch for potential effects on luxury and relocation markets. If it fails, the conversations it sparked around taxes, residency, and where wealthy homeowners choose to live aren’t necessarily going away. Give agents the basics, explain what these policy changes could mean for your market, and remind them where their expertise ends. They can discuss what they’re seeing in real estate, but tax, residency, and financial strategy questions should go to qualified professionals.
What’s working right now: |
- Bring the vote to your meeting: Give agents a quick overview of what Proposition 40 proposes, why it’s making real estate headlines, and what could happen next if it passes or fails.
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Talk through the ripple effects: Discuss how a major tax or policy change in one state could potentially influence listings, relocation patterns, luxury demand, or buyer activity elsewhere.
- Look at your own market: Ask agents whether they’re seeing more out-of-state buyers, where those buyers are coming from, and whether relocation patterns are changing.
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💧 Arizona’s water challenges are becoming a real estate issue: KTAR says agents are fielding more questions from buyers about long-term water security as the state prepares to lose about 30% of its Colorado River allocation.
👶 Parents are saving for their kids’ first homes before kindergarten: Realtor.com reports 82% of parents with children 5 and younger are saving or have considered saving for their child’s future down payments as housing affordability concerns reshape family financial planning.
📈 Mortgage demand finally breaks its losing streak: Homes.com highlights that applications rose 3.4% for the first time in nearly eight weeks as rates eased, while adjustable-rate mortgages climbed to their highest share of applications in more than a year. |
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Sophia Doyle is a staff writer at The Close and a licensed New Jersey real estate agent with hands-on experience in residential real estate. Sophia brings real-world insight into today’s housing market, combining on-the-ground agent experience with a strong background in communications. She understands the full transaction lifecycle, from lead generation and client relationships to marketing strategy and deal execution. Through her writing, Sophia delivers clear, practical guidance to help agents navigate an evolving industry with confidence and creativity.
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