How to Choose the Right Real Estate Coach and Avoid the Ones Who Waste Your Time + Money
The Problem: Everyone’s a “Coach” Now
Scroll through Instagram and you’ll see it: a flood of people calling themselves real estate coaches. Some have sold three homes and now claim to teach “scaling or better yet….just social media.” Others copy what they learned from someone else’s course and repackage it as their own method.
Here’s the truth—coaching is not about motivation or morning routines.
It’s about systems, data, experience, and execution. It’s about understanding your business from the inside out—what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change.
If you’re ready to take your business seriously, you need to look past the hype and evaluate coaches like you’d evaluate a business investment. Because that’s what it is.
What a Real Estate Coach Should Actually Help You Do
A great coach helps you:
Systematize your business so you stop reinventing the wheel every transaction.
Identify leaks in your profit pipeline (lost opportunities, inefficiencies, underperforming lead sources).
Implement operations and marketing frameworks that create predictable, scalable income.
Hold you accountable to results—not promises.
If the coach you’re interviewing can’t talk about systems, operations, or numbers, walk away.
Because if your business depends on “just working harder,” you don’t need a coach—you need a break.
Why Relevance Matters More Than Reputation
I’ve been in this business for 34 years. I’ve sold over 1,500 homes, built and led a team for 30 of those years, and am still doing so today. I’m not teaching from a whiteboard—I’m in the trenches every single week, navigating the same market shifts, client objections, and operational challenges as the agents I coach.
That matters.
Theory only takes you so far. You need someone who knows what it’s like to manage multiple deadlines, deal with high emotions, or drive a team forward when the market flips. Someone who has built systems that actually hold up in real life, not just on paper.
When you’re choosing a coach, ask:
“Are they still in the business? Do they still sell, manage, and lead in real time? If not, how long have you been out of the business? You need to evaluate how current a coaches advice could.
The Red Flags: Coaches Who Waste Your Time + Money
They promise quick wins.
Scaling a business is about systems and stamina. Anyone selling “overnight success” is selling fantasy.They talk about social media more than business structure.
A viral reel doesn’t replace a broken database.They use vague metrics.
“Mindset shifts” and “abundance frameworks” are great—but where’s the ROI?
Ask what kind of measurable results their clients achieve and in what time frame.They can’t show repeatable systems.
If they don’t have SOPs, workflows, or operational frameworks to share, you’ll be paying for ideas—not implementation.
The Green Flags: What to Look For Instead
They teach frameworks, not fluff.
A solid coach gives you blueprints—scripts, workflows, templates, and systems you can plug in right away.They focus on profit, not just production.
More deals mean nothing if you’re working 80 hours a week and still broke.They help you build autonomy.
The right coach should be trying to make you less dependent on them over time, not more.They have clients who’ve built sustainable results.
Look for case studies where agents have built systems, teams, or passive income after working with them.
The Bottom Line
Choosing a coach is like hiring a COO for your business—they should help you think bigger, execute smarter, and make your business run like a business.
If they can’t show you how to create predictability, scale sustainably, or reclaim your time, you’re not being coached—you’re being entertained.
💬 The Conversation
What’s been your experience with coaching? Have you worked with someone who really changed how you operate—or someone who just gave you homework?
About Rebecca Green
Rebecca Green is a real estate business coach and founder of the CEO Agent Academy. She helps real estate agents build sustainable, profitable businesses through systems, strategy, and smarter execution.
Inside the CEO Agent Academy, agents gain access to done-for-you templates, business systems, marketing tools, and live coaching that help them create predictable income and long-term growth.
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