December has a way of making everyone feel like business should slow down—but top producers know that January closings are built in November and December. While most agents hit pause for the holidays, the smart ones are stacking conversations, planting seeds, and positioning themselves for a strong start to the new year.

If you’re exploring real estate agent careers or want to level up at a modern Louisville real estate brokerage or Nashville real estate brokerage, this is the season to get bold, not quiet.

Here’s how to build a January pipeline before everyone else wakes up on January 2nd.

1. Holiday Conversations = Future Listings

People love talking about next year during the holidays:

• upcoming job changes
  
• family expansions
  
• moves from renting to owning
  
• plans to “finally sell the house”
  
• relocation conversations
  

Someone mentioning “after the new year” is your cue to say:
“Perfect. Let’s set a strategy call in early January—you’ll be way ahead of everyone else.”

Don’t pressure. Just position yourself as the agent who’s planning with them.

2. Use Gratitude to Re-Engage Your Database

Don’t send a generic holiday drip email. Reach out personally.

30 texts a day for 10 days:

“Hey! Grateful for you this year. If you’re thinking about real estate changes in 2025, I’d love to help you get ahead of the market.”

It feels authentic and creates inbound conversations.

Bonus move:
Ask past clients what they wish they knew before making their move. It starts a dialogue and showcases your expertise.

3. Create a “Next Year Plan” Lead Magnet

Make something people want to save.

Examples:

• “How to Buy a Home in 2025: Step-by-Step Playbook”
  
• “What to Know Before Selling Next Year”
  
• “New Construction in 2025: The Updated Guide”
  

Turn it into:

• a PDF
  
• a carousel post
  
• a short video series
  

Share it on social + email + text lists.
The goal isn’t virality—it’s hand-raising.

4. Get Visible on Social When Others Go Quiet

While agents are posting holiday lights and cookies, you can stand out with content tied to real decisions people make in January:

• “3 Things to Do Before Listing Next Year”
  
• “Rent vs. Buy in 2025”
  
• “Will Rates Change in Early 2025?”
  
• “Louisville Market Outlook for January”
  
• “Why Now Is the Best Time to Prepare to Sell”
  

Teach, don’t pitch.
Be real, not robotic.

People remember the person who gave clarity when everyone else was talking about Santa.

5. Own the Local Conversation

If you want a strong 2025, show up in your local ecosystem.

Examples:

• Sponsor a local holiday event
  
• Collaborate with a small business for giveaways
  
• Do a food drive drop-off
  
• Host a “Home Buying in the New Year” coffee chat
  

Not only do you build community—you build trust.
People follow authenticity, not ads.

Your future pipeline is built through people who feel connected to you.

6. Don’t Neglect Agents in Your Network

There’s a secret move top agents make in December…

They build agent-to-agent referral relationships, especially across growing markets.

• Louisville ↔ Nashville
  
• Nashville ↔ Southern Indiana
  
• Louisville ↔ national relocation markets
  

If someone is exploring new real estate agent careers or wants to join a modern Louisville real estate brokerage or Nashville real estate brokerage, they’re more open to those conversations during the holidays—because they’re already thinking about a fresh start.

January is the “new chapter” month.
Start that chapter now, not later.

7. Take 30 Minutes and Build a January Campaign

Plan it. Schedule it. Automate parts of it.

Your campaign could be:

• 5 short videos
  
• 3 educational emails
  
• a simple landing page
  
• 10 personal outreach texts per day
  
• 1 open house the final week of December
  
• a local business collaboration
  

The point isn’t perfection—it’s momentum.

By the time other agents are “getting organized” on January 10th…
you’ll already be writing contracts.

Final Thoughts: Build Like a Top Producer

The holidays are where real professionals separate themselves. If you want to crush it in 2025, now is the season to treat every conversation like a chance to create opportunity—not pressure, just presence.

People think about their future during the holidays.
Smart agents show up for it.

If you’re looking for a place that supports idea-driven, modern business models and agent growth, now is the perfect time to explore new real estate agent careers. At Collective Roots Agency, we’re building a next-generation culture driven by systems, technology, and collaboration across our Louisville real estate brokerage and Nashville real estate brokerage.

Want to join our team?
Let’s talk about your goals for the new year—we’re building something big, and the agents who prepare early are the ones who win.