As I think back over my last decade in commercial real estate, I’ve realized the gap between average agents and top-tier advisers is surprisingly clear and consistent.
This article kicks off a new series focused on the practical steps and behaviors that help commercial agents build real, sustainable success. Each blog will break down actionable habits, patterns of thinking and tools you can take back to your desk the same day.
A lot of this clarity came into focus for me two years ago when I brought my brother, Daniel Cook, onto the Advisory Team at Stirling. In training him, I found myself unpacking habits I had practiced for years without even thinking about them. The process forced me to identify what actually matters — and what doesn’t — in becoming a high-performing commercial agent.
Top producers aren’t lucky. They’re prepared, curious and relentlessly consistent.
1. Top-Tier Agents Study Markets, Not Just Listings
Exceptional agents don’t wait for a listing appointment or letter of intent (LOI) to dive into research. For them, market study is a daily habit, not a special event. They think beyond individual buildings and ask broader questions:
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How are people and companies moving into and out of the region?
• What industries are expanding or contracting?
• Which submarkets are gaining momentum?
• What permitting or zoning changes are signaling future opportunities?
They track demographics, read economic development reports, monitor construction pipelines and stay plugged into corridor growth. When clients ask questions, these agents connect dots confidently and clearly.
2. They Provide Insight Clients Can’t Get on Their Own
This is where the work becomes advisory. A client mentions upgrading a warehouse, and the top-tier agent ties it to logistics routes, supply chain constraints and long-term functionality. A medical group asks about demand, and the agent can speak to hospital system growth, reimbursement trends and national medical office building (MOB) patterns. Most agents know facts, but the top agents understand the relationships between those facts, and that is what clients value.
3. Their Consistency Builds Trust
You can spot a top-tier agent in the smallest moments as they return calls timely, meet deadlines without chaos and handle follow-ups with clarity and completeness. Their clients have bought into the vision and plan set by the agent, and they're not just hiring a transaction manager. While average agents are constantly catching up, high performers stay three steps ahead. That consistency becomes their reputation and their competitive advantage.
4. Mastery Comes from Preparation and Discipline, Not Talent
Anyone can earn a real estate license, but very few learn to operate like an adviser. What separates the elite isn’t charisma or luck. It’s preparation, deep market knowledge, discipline and long-term mindset in a short-term industry. Success is built quietly, in the unseen hours.
If you’re early in your commercial real estate career, start here: Today, find one new market insight (something real and current). This Week, tighten one habit that directly improves your reliability, responsiveness or preparation.
Small improvements compound quickly in this business.
Master the basics with intention now, and your future clients and career will thank you. If you’re already practicing these habits, consider this your reminder that your discipline is moving you toward mastery.
