How to Stockpile PreListings: My Inman Post

Inman ran an article I wrote today. Recently they published some new data, and I was impressed with the visualizations via maps. The data shows when and where listings are coming on the market, y/y and compared to pre pandemic levels. So I wrote about that data, and how its not predictable – and the solution to dealing with that unpredictability.

Here’s the link to my full article on inman. Below, Ive summarized my key takeaway – all be it much shorter. (and not behind a paywall)

The market feels harder to read right now. Inventory is uneven, rates are higher, and a lot of agents are trying to figure out what it all means. But the core truth hasn’t changed.

People don’t move because of the market. They move because of life. Job changes, growing families, lifestyle shifts. The market only affects when they act, not why they move.

That’s where the opportunity is.

If you want more listings, get closer to your database. Not surface-level check-ins — real conversations. Ask better questions, like the one Barry Jenkins shared: “If you were going to stay in this home long term, what’s the one thing you would change?”

The answers reveal everything.

That’s how you find intent early, track it, and stay in front of the next move, without chasing more leads.