Let’s face it—choosing a real estate coach in 2022 is a pain. It seems like every day there is a new “real estate guru” on Instagram promising to transform brand-new agents into top producers overnight. They can’t ALL be the best!
Since our mission here at The Close is to help agents separate the signal from the noise, we crunched the numbers and ranked the best real estate coaches and programs in the industry today. We looked at coaching programs, reputation, pricing, return on investment (ROI), and size. We also reviewed some individual coaches who are using new approaches to agent training.
The Best Real Estate Coaches of 2022
| Real Estate Coach | Best For |
|---|---|
| Tom Ferry | Agents at all levels who need mindset coaching, digital marketing training, and actionable scripts from an industry leader |
| Keller Williams MAPS | Keller Williams agents |
| Buffini & Company | Agents who want business training along with real estate coaching |
| Icenhower Coaching & Consulting | Agents who want one-on-one coaching from an active agent |
| Yesmasters (Kevin Ward) | Agents who want no-nonsense coaching from a former top-producing agent |
| Katie Lance | Agents who need help with social media |
| 16 Strategies (Sean Moudry) | Successful agents who have plateaued in their career and want coaching from an active top-producing broker, and agents who are starting a brokerage or team |
| Ashley Harwood | Introverted real estate agents |
| Craig Proctor | Agents working in Canada |
| Tim & Julie Harris | Agents who want comprehensive coaching and community taught by two former top-producing agents |
| Travis Robertson | Agents and team leads who want to create consistent, predictable lead flow |
| Bernice Ross | Agents who want traditional real estate coaching from a Ph.D. and industry thought leader |
1. Tom Ferry
Pricing for Coaching
- Core: $649 per month
Tom Ferry’s Core coaching tier includes two 30-minute private coaching sessions per month, recorded coaching sessions, support team, access to Mastermind groups, and more.
- Elite: $1119 per month
Tom Ferry’s Elite coaching tier includes four 30-minute coaching sessions per month, everything included in the Core tier, and free admission to all Tom Ferry events.
- Team: Call
Designed for teams, Tom Ferry’s Team coaching tier includes four 30-minute private coaching sessions for team leads, two 30-minute group coaching sessions, private events, specialized business plans, and more.
Year Founded
2004
Number of Coaches
162
Nationwide?
Yes, in the U.S. and Canada and worldwide with clients in Italy, Australia, Israel, Mexico, and other countries.
Most Successful Former Student
Tim Smith of Smith Group (team leader of the #1 Coldwell Banker team in California) and Gino Blefari (current CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices), among others.
Sample Coaching Material (e.g., Scripts)
In Their Own Words: Why Choose Tom Ferry Coaching
“The simple answer is options. We don’t pigeonhole you into some predetermined formula that you must follow. We believe there are many ways to run your business, and we coach based on your choices and your objectives to help you get where you want to go faster.”
2. Keller Williams MAPS
Pricing for Coaching
- FastTrack Coaching: $149 to $300 per course
Topic-based coaching programs that tackle specific challenges and provide targeted solutions - BOLD: $799 to $899 per course
A seven-week, life-changing transformational program, weekly in-person and group setting - OnDemand Coaching: $199 per call
One-on-one 30-minute, topic-based coaching call with a KW MAPS coach - Breakthrough Coaching: $450 per month
One-on-one semimonthly coaching sessions - Mastery Coaching: $1,000 per month
One-on-one weekly coaching sessions with exclusive privileges - Mastery Team Coaching: $3,000 per month
Coaching for the Rainmaker and Rainmaker’s Team
Year Founded
2006
Number of Coaches
342 (as of now). Interesting to note: In the last five years, the program has grown by 294 coaches.
Nationwide?
Yes, and worldwide.
Sample Coaching Material (e.g., Scripts)
In Their Own Words: Why Choose Keller Williams Coaching
“We believe the client is creative, resourceful, and whole. We believe you must address the person as a whole (their entire life, and keep them in production). We believe the issues are from the client and their business. We believe the relationship is one of partnership.”
3. Buffini & Company
Pricing for Coaching
- One2One Coaching: $499 per month (+ upgrades)
Buffini & Company’s One2One coaching includes bimonthly private coaching calls, personality assessment, Referral Maker CRM, marketing kit, referral network, and training. Upgrades include video messaging and direct mail.
Year Founded
1996
Number of Coaches
Unknown
Nationwide?
Yes, and Canada
In Their Own Words: Why Choose Buffini & Company
“During these calls, your coach will work with you to define and set your business, financial, and personal goals; develop a business plan to help you generate a steady stream of referred leads; enhance your current relationships; and hit your financial goals. Our coaches are experts in uncovering the roadblocks—real and perceived—that block your path to living the life of your dreams.”
Visit Buffini & Company Website
4. Icenhower Coaching & Consulting
Pricing for Coaching
- One-on-One Coaching: $1,000 per month
One-to-one coaching with an active producing real estate coach and consultant, and online course access for up to 25 agents included (more than 16 courses with hundreds of hours of video training for your team).
Number of Coaches
40
Nationwide?
Yes
Most Successful Former Student
The Dani Blain Team, formerly The Kevin Blain Team, 1,500 homes a year, #9 in the U.S.
Sample Coaching Material (e.g., Scripts)
In Their Own Words: Why Choose Icenhower Coaching & Consulting:
“Icenhower Coaching & Consulting (ICC) provides customized, structured real estate coaching and training programs for agents and team leaders. We work with many of the top agents and teams in North America. ICC coaching isn’t a one-size-fits-all coaching program.
Visit Icenhower Coaching Website
5. Kevin Ward: Yesmasters
Pricing for Coaching
- Mastery Coaching: $297 per month
- Six-Figure Club: Call for pricing
- Inner Circle Mastermind: Call for pricing
6. Katie Lance
Pricing for Coaching
- #Getsocialsmart Academy: $67 per month (or $670 yearly)
7. Sean Moudry: 16 Strategies
Pricing for Coaching
- On-on-One Coaching: $2,000+ per month for four calls
- On-Demand Coaching with The Close Pro: $199 per year
Sean’s new Close Pro course, 4 Low-Cost Hidden Listing Gold Mine Sources, will teach you how to find untapped listing sources that will fuel your business in the long term. Learn the scripts you need to increase referrals and work with more motivated sellers. Best of all, these on-demand video training and scripts are available for just $299 a year.
8. Ashley Harwood
Pricing for Coaching
- One-on-One Coaching: $4,000 for one (two- to four-hour) strategy session and three 30-minute follow-up calls
Visit Ashley Harwood’s Website
9. Craig Proctor
Pricing for Coaching
- Platinum Coaching: Call for pricing
10. Tim & Julie Harris
Pricing for Coaching
- Premier Coaching: $497 per month (paid yearly or quarterly)
- Premier Accountability: Call for pricing
- Premier VIP: Call for pricing
Visit Tim & Julie Harris Website
11. Travis Robertson
Pricing for Coaching
- Don’t Settle Group Coaching: Call for pricing
Visit Travis Robertson’s Website
12. Bernice Ross
Pricing for Coaching
- One-on-One Coaching: $300 to $3,500 per month
5 Rules for Choosing the Right Real Estate Coach
Now that you have a list of the best coaches and what they offer, you need to develop a game plan to choose one and get started. This can be trickier than you think. Just because a coach is popular or trending online does not mean that they will work for you.
To get you started, check out our five rules for choosing the right coach for you.
1. Understand the True ROI of Hiring a Real Estate Coach
OK, now that we’ve dispelled some of the common myths about real estate coaching, let’s take a look at what defines great real estate coaches in 2022.
Accountability & Motivation
One of the most important and frequently undervalued benefits of real estate coaching is the accountability and motivation they offer agents, brokers, teams, and even entire brokerages.
Let’s handle these two benefits one at a time.
Accountability
In many ways, great real estate coaches are a lot like cognitive-behavioral therapists. While they may offer you tools to help you get ahead, a large part of their role is just to be there as a sounding board to ensure you’re on the right path to reach your goals.
While this might sound like something you could get for free from a college buddy over a few glasses of wine, in reality, a coach is far more effective. After all, even at the most basic level, you’re going to be much more motivated about being accountable to someone you are paying.
Motivation
Equally important but more elusive, motivation is what most agents seek out coaches for. Luckily, fear can be an excellent motivator, and the fear of wasting $500 per month can quickly light a fire under your stove!
Helping agents develop a realistic plan to get where they want to be can also be hugely motivating. Even just writing out a plan on paper can help make it more concrete and easier to pursue.
One of the most important aspects of motivation is helping agents get out of their comfort zones and into the uncharted waters where success usually lies.
Lead Generation & Marketing Strategies That Work for YOU
Like we said at the beginning of this article, real estate coaches are a lot like therapists. In most cases, they’re going to help you create and hone realistic plans for lead generation and marketing. Since everyone’s business is unique, one-size-fits-all plans won’t work. It’s up to you to work with your coach to build a plan that will work for YOU.
Of course, this doesn’t mean all or even most coaches don’t have tested game plans and strategies they can teach you to get ahead—far from it. Good coaches will have a wide selection of scripts, motivational reading, and detailed marketing and lead generation plans you can modify and make your own.
Experience With Current & Emerging Technology (Especially Social Media)
Since real estate lead generation and marketing are primarily digital these days, we are increasingly starting to see only two types of agents: those who keep up with the latest technology and thrive and those who don’t and sink.
The best real estate coaches not only keep up with the latest technology, but actively and frequently integrate it into the training they offer agents.
2. The Best Real Estate Coaches Might Not Have ANY Direct Real Estate Experience (& They Don’t Need Any)
Bill Belichick is widely recognized as one of the best coaches in the NFL. In fact, his career-winning percentage is the highest in NFL history. With a track record like that, it’s safe to assume Bill Belichick was an exceptional athlete, right?
Not even close. Though he did play football in college, he played for Wesleyan, a division three school that hardly won games, let alone broke records. Sure, he was also a team captain, but the team captain of the lacrosse team.
So how can someone with little experience playing a sport end up being one of the most successful coaches in that sport’s history?
Simple. You don’t need experience to be a great coach. In fact, it can often be a hindrance. Great coaches are great because they have a unique ability to pull great performances out of almost anyone. This is a skill that many of the best agents in the world simply don’t have.
In fact, if you actually research the professional backgrounds of some of the most effective and successful real estate coaches in the industry, you may be surprised at their level of actual real estate experience.
3. Don’t Expect to Learn Secret Lead Generation Strategies
If I were to ask every one of you to grab a piece of paper and come up with a game plan to sell 10 times more houses next year, I’ll bet almost everyone would come back with virtually identical plans.
Wake up earlier, practice your scripts, call 40 people every morning, increase your lead generation spend, follow up with your sphere daily, network, and so on. If you come to real estate coaching expecting to learn some kind of secret real estate strategy, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
Instead, the best coaches will help you craft a lead generation or marketing plan that works for you.
4. The High Price of Coaching Can Help Keep You Motivated
I hate to say it, but fear can be an excellent motivator for real estate agents. The fear of losing a deal or not being able to pay your mortgage may keep you up at night, but it is also part of the reason you wake up so early and work so hard.
When it comes to hiring a coach, the fear of wasting money can be an excellent motivator to keep you focused on improving. This is why sometimes hiring a coach whose monthly fees sting a little when you see them on your credit card statement can actually help you stay focused and motivated.
5. Coaching Will Never Work Unless You Work
A lot of agents these days think they can sign up for coaching and become a better agent through osmosis. These agents are in for a rude surprise. The therapy analogy fits perfectly here too. If you don’t do the work on your business and yourself, you will never change. Period.
How We Chose the Best Real Estate Coaches of 2022
Since there seems to be a real estate coach behind every rock these days, finding a fair way to pick the best coaches was pretty tricky. To make the process somewhat more egalitarian, or at least as egalitarian as possible, we used the following criteria to rate coaching companies and individual coaches:
- Size
- Most successful former (or current) clients
- Adoption of the latest technology
- Agent reviews
- Online presence
- Quality of scripts or other content
Over to You
Know some great real estate coaches who you think deserve to be included in this article? Have experiences (good or bad) working with one of the real estate coaches we featured? Let us know in the comments.
Tell us about you so we know what to send.
