The Lost Art of Real Estate: Relationships Still Matter

I’ve been in real estate for over 20 years, and if there’s one lesson that keeps proving itself true, it’s this: communication is everything.

When I first got started, the business was all about people. You didn’t just shoot over a quick text or fire off a DocuSign and call it a day. You picked up the phone. You met face-to-face. You built real connections. That was the job.

Fast-forward to now, and too often I see agents treating communication like an optional extra. Submit an offer through a portal, send it into the void, and hope for the best. No feedback. No courtesy call. Just silence. And here’s the truth-ghosting other agents or clients isn’t just rude, it’s shortsighted.

This business isn’t about paperwork. It’s about people. The agent you ignore today could be the one sitting across the table from you tomorrow on a multiple-offer deal. The client you brushed off could have turned into a lifelong referral source if you’d just taken the time to build the relationship.

To the new agents coming up: learn this early. Answer the call. Return the email. Give feedback. Build trust. Because one day, you’re going to need help...fast. And it won’t be your CRM that saves you, it’ll be the relationships you built along the way.

Technology changes, the market shifts, but one thing hasn’t moved in two decades: people want to work with someone they trust. Relationships close deals. Relationships create opportunities. Relationships build careers.

So slow down, communicate, and connect. You might just make a friend for life-or even a client.

— Evan DeShong, EA Group at Keller Williams Greater Springfield