Think Outside the Box: Creative Strategies for Real Estate
Being creative is more than the ability to draw, paint, or write; it is the ability to create or use original or unusual ideas. Creative thinking is one of the top skills in demand by employers according to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025.
While you may feel you don’t have inherent “creativity,” using creative thinking can put you on the path to discovering new solutions to problems and connecting with your clients and peers in meaningful ways. But what’s really the difference between creativity and creative thinking?
Simply put: creativity is the product of creative thinking. Maybe you need new marketing ideas so you research and brainstorm a social media campaign. Or you want to pick a fun theme for an event coming up so you do a deep dive into some fan favorites Then, you implement those ideas in real-time. You have just used both creativity and creative thinking to bring your ideas to life.
In real estate, you can use the leads, listings and leverage framework to build your creativity and creative thinking.
As a seasoned agent, you know it takes more than just talking to people to get a lead. This is where you can get creative — what levers can you pull to get those leads rolling in, even when you don’t feel like talking to people? Social media is a tried and true tool, of course, but creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. You can just tap that + button on Instagram and put something out there. You have specialized knowledge and skills so share that in bite-size form with your sphere and watch the leads roll in— emojis and GIFs are optional, but encouraged.
Events are also a creative way to gather more leads. You can put your personal spin on the theme, the decor, the invitations — or all of it and really make an impression. Need help coming up with an idea? Ask your favorite AI resource for a shortlist!
Use Canva templates to create a polished listing presentation on your personal value proposition. Think of this as a visually stunning checklist of what you bring to the table for your clients, whether they are buying or selling with you.
Beyond the listing presentation, you can use creative storytelling to highlight the best features on all of your listings. Need some inspiration with a side of Hollywood panache? Look no further than these iconic homes.
Finally, leverage is where you can evaluate the creative skills you might be missing and use outside resources to fill that gap. This could look like a short-term contract with a marketing agency to create branded content for you, or hiring someone full-time with the skillset you are looking for. Either way, leverage is about utilizing your available resources in a way that will achieve your goals.
How do you express your creativity in your real estate career? Share your tips and ideas with us on Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for timely inbox delivery of content just like this!