The #1 Question That Built Our $1M Listing Pipeline

By Philip Kang

Philip Kang is the visionary team leader of the HomeReady Team, based in Orange County, California. Since founding the team, Philip has driven rapid growth year after year, with the team on track to close over $150 million in real estate volume in 2025.

Many agents get caught up in branding: tweaking logos, updating social media, and designing flyers. However, this is not what truly drives success in real estate. Early in our journey, we also made the mistake of prioritizing our branding over building a robust database of leads.

The shift in our strategy. To change our approach, we committed to a simple, consistent action: Asking sellers about their motivations.

We did this every day for a year, five days a week. Our goal was to generate one seller lead each day. By the end of the year, we had 250 motivated sellers in our database, some ready to sell immediately and others planning for the future.

This database became the backbone of our business. We started receiving referrals, and we were able to follow up regularly. As sellers got closer to listing their properties, our business naturally grew. Over the last decade, we haven’t had to prospect in the same way.

Avoid the “hope and pray” approach. Compare this to the ineffective “hope and pray” method—leaving flyers or business cards in the hopes that someone will call. This is akin to buying a lottery ticket and calling it a strategy. Why would someone reach out just because they received a postcard? There’s no connection or compelling reason.

When we engage directly, knocking on doors, making eye contact, and asking,

“Have you thought about selling?”

That single question has generated over $1 million in gross commission income for us. Regardless of their response, yes, no, or maybe, we always follow up with:

“When do you plan on making a move?”

Then we make sure to keep in touch. Even if they’re not planning to move anytime soon, that can change. Life happens. And when we’ve asked the right questions and stayed in contact, we’re the ones they remember.

Today, with smart CRMs and AI tools, nurturing our database is easier than ever. Automated follow-ups, reminder systems, and consistent check-ins keep us top of mind, leading to a steady stream of listings.

So, if you’re looking to win big in this business, forget the fancy branding. Start with your client’s motivation, build your database, and stick to it for a year. Everything else gets easier after that.

If you have any questions on how to improve your business, reach out. You can contact me at (714) 451-4543 or [email protected]. I’d be happy to help you get to the next level.