Every agent has heard the same excuse: buyers are waiting for rates to drop, sellers are scared to list, and the market feels frozen solid. But the agents who are actually closing deals aren't the ones with the loudest marketing or the flashiest "listing number 21 for the year" post. They're the ones who've simplified this business down to a handful of habits that anyone, at any experience level, can start doing.
That's exactly why I brought Asher Cohen of BUYAZRE at Realty ONE Group onto my podcast, Why Do I Suck As a Real Estate Agent. Asher has spent over 15 years building a team out of Scottsdale, Arizona that's closed more than $140 million in transactions, and he's now coaching other agents through ACRE Coaching while running a transaction management company called Proactive Close.
He's seen this business from every angle: as the agent, the team leader, and now the coach. So, when he talks about what separates the agents who are busy from the agents who are stuck, I wanted to bring that whole conversation to you.
Here’s a preview of that episode:
Why I Had This Conversation
I wanted Asher on my show because he's living proof that you can build a real, sustainable business without gimmicks. He didn't come up through real estate the traditional way. He started as a marketing and business development guy for a commercial broker, learned the industry by watching someone else do it well, and brought that outside perspective into residential real estate when he launched BUYAZRE.
What made our conversation matter to me is how much of Asher's success comes from things that have nothing to do with market conditions. Rates go up, rates go down, inventory gets tight, and inventory loosens up. Asher's team keeps closing because their habits don't depend on any of that. If you're an agent, a team lead, or even someone who helps others with selling a home, I think his insights give you a template worth stealing.
Watch the full episode here:
Active Listening Is the Whole Game
The first thing Asher and I dug into was active listening in real estate, and he didn't hesitate calling it the number one skill in any first client meeting. A lot of agents walk into that first conversation stressed about saying the perfect thing, when the real job is asking good questions and confirming you understood the answer.
Asher put it simply: clients are already overwhelmed by the biggest financial decision of their lives. Your job isn't to hand them every step at once. It's to show them one or two next moves, build a little confidence, and let that confidence carry them forward.
That one shift, from information-dumping to guiding, is why his clients trust him enough to move.
Stop Chasing Leads and Start Building Relationships
Asher’s team doesn't use the word "leads." Every single person is an opportunity, and there are really only five categories: buyers, sellers, investors, renters, and owners who aren't doing anything yet but are still curious about the market next door.
"It's not the making the phone call or sending the text or the email that's asking for the business. It's the call, text, or email that's just connecting with people on how we can add value to their lives, and it doesn't have to be about real estate."
That's the heart of building genuine client relationships as a strategy instead of a nice-to-have. It's also one of the clearest daily habits of successful agents I've come across: Asher's team sets a personal weekly standard for how many people they connect with in a way that's meaningful for that other person, not for the agent.
The business follows naturally once that habit is consistent, whether the person eventually needs help buying a home or just wants someone to call when they're ready.
Turning Interest Rate Objections Into Solutions
We also talked about the excuse that's been sitting on every agent's desk since late 2022: buyers waiting on rates to drop. Asher's answer was refreshingly practical. Buyers have been closing deals through sevens and eights the whole time, because agents found a way to make the numbers work today instead of waiting for tomorrow.
The move, as Asher explained it, is overcoming interest rate objections by negotiating seller concessions toward a rate buydown instead of chasing an unrealistic price drop. Most sellers won't cut $200,000 off a price, but plenty will help buy down a rate that lowers the monthly payment enough to get someone off the fence.
He stressed staying tight with a trusted lender so you're both saying the same thing to the client, which keeps the whole process from feeling confusing or contradictory.
The Meeting That Changes Everything
Asher shared a strategy he's used for over a decade: the two-in-one meeting. It pairs the agent and a trusted lender in the same room, whether in person or on Zoom, so the buyer gets their questions answered on both sides at once.
"When the buyer leaves that meeting, they're gonna feel overwhelmed, but with a good overwhelm. We just got all of our answers to all of our questions."
That's the two-in-one buyer meeting in a nutshell, and it's a tactic any agent can start using. Building the search criteria together, walking through the milestones ahead, and having the lender ready to plug in real numbers on the spot turns a normal buyer consultation into something that builds real confidence fast.
What Changed for Me After This Conversation
Our conversation reminded me why I started my podcast in the first place. It's easy to convince yourself that the market, rates, or competition are the reason business slows down. Asher's whole approach proves that the agents who stay busy are the ones who've simplified the fundamentals and stuck with them, slow season or not.
"You need to have a better mindset because if you think you suck, you probably do."
That landed hard for me, because it's true for every agent listening, myself included. I've started thinking more intentionally about how I use my own slower stretches, the same way our team at Take Action Realty Group tries to stay dialed in on marketing and organization when transactions ease up.
If you're looking around at the best communities in Wisconsin to find a home, that same mindset of staying consistent regardless of season is exactly what keeps opportunities coming.
Want to hear my full conversation with Asher on the daily habits, listening skills, and buyer strategies that separate top producers from everyone else?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the two-in-one meeting in real estate?
It's a buyer consultation where the agent and a trusted lender meet with the buyer together, in person or virtually, so the buyer gets answers on the process and the financing at the same time instead of two separate conversations.
How can real estate agents overcome interest rate objections?
Instead of waiting for prices or rates to drop, agents can negotiate seller concessions toward an interest rate buydown, which lowers the buyer's monthly payment and makes today's numbers work without needing a lower list price.
Why is active listening important for real estate agents?
Active listening helps agents understand exactly where a client is coming from, confirm that understanding, and guide overwhelmed buyers or sellers through one manageable step at a time instead of overloading them with information.
Apply as a Guest on Why Do I Suck as a Real Estate Agent
Real estate is evolving. Rates are shifting. Buyers and sellers are more cautious than ever, and the agents who are winning are the ones willing to share what's actually working.
If you're actively working in the industry and solving real problems, whether in brokerage, coaching, lending, or investing, the same way Asher Cohen of BUYAZRE at Realty ONE Group has built his business, we'd love to hear from you!
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