CRE Broker: The Fear That’s Quietly Costing You Deals
It’s officially spooky season.
(For the CRE brokers are working so hard they barely know what date it is… yes, Halloween’s next week.)
But the only thing “scary” about this season is how quickly I’m seeing fear spreading in the CRE market.
Ask around, and you’ll hear the same script:
- “Interest rates are killing deals.”
- “The market’s soft.”
- “Investors are scared.”
So, it’s time we talk about it.
Every broker falls into one of three categories when the market gets tough:
- The Panicked – They pull back completely.
- The Petrified – They freeze in indecision.
- The Proactive – They keep moving.
And it’s that third group that wins.
3 Ways to Overcome Fear and Build Momentum Before 2026
The brokers who are thriving regardless of the market understand one simple truth:
Real life is greater than real estate.
A human situation drives every transaction.
- Perhaps the seller has recently lost a spouse.
- A partnership could be dissolved.
- A fund needs liquidity before year-end.
If you can understand that situation, you can move deals forward even when the market feels down.
That’s what separates the frozen from the fearless.
1️⃣ Talk to more people, not fewer.
Fear shrinks your world, and an abundance mindset expands it. Call inactive (never call them past) clients, update prospects, and check in without an agenda.
Conversations create clarity, and clarity kills fear.
The fear you are fearing is likely due to a lack of action!
2️⃣ Focus on facts, not headlines.
Track your own data: comps, leasing activity, cap rates, absorption.
The more you know what’s really happening, the less you’re swayed by noise.
And you know what? Sometimes removing yourself from the news is a good thing, even for CRE brokers.
3️⃣ Invest in your skills while others wait.
When the market “slows”, the best brokers sharpen. They role-play, learn, and refine systems so when the rebound comes, they’re already sprinting.
“But Rod, this market is terrible…”
No, it’s not.
Let’s keep things in perspective here. I started my career in 2008 — right in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis.
And every single downturn since, brokers say the same thing: “This is the worst I’ve ever seen.”
But it never is.
Compared to what we’ve seen over the last 20–30 years, this market isn’t the worst. Not even close. The brokers who survive each cycle are the ones who remember that the game is a long-term endeavor.
They don’t panic-sell or pause.
They double down on relationships, research, and relevance. They focus on understanding why people act, not just how.
Because markets rebound, and when they do, clients remember who stayed curious.
The Scariest Thing of All
The real danger in this market isn’t falling cap rates or rising interest rates.
It’s staying the same.
Fear disguises itself as logic.
- “Now’s not the right time.”
- “I’ll wait for rates to drop.”
- “I’ll start again in Q1.”
But when everyone else slows down, that’s when momentum becomes market share.
Every cycle separates those who pause from those who press forward. And the brokers who press forward are the ones who learn, adapt, and build relationships that outlast the market.
On November 19th, I’m gathering a group of 11 top CRE professionals from around the world to show you how they build presence, relationships, and results that compound for decades.
If you’re serious about investing in your success in 2026, join us and hear the exact strategies they use to generate $50 billion in transaction volume at the Global CRE Broker Virtual Summit.
Learn how to adopt their presence as your own alter ego — the mindset, confidence, and habits that separate top producers from everyone else.
This is one of those can’t-miss events.
Click here to learn more about the event + our money-back guarantee.
