In the competitive real estate market of Southlake, TX, the traditional approach of cold calling and mailers is losing its effectiveness. Buyers and sellers now conduct their own research online before ever contacting an agent. This shift has prompted Justin Nimergood, leader of the Top Gun Team at Epique Realty, to make media presence a mandatory requirement for his agents.
Nimergood has witnessed the impact firsthand. His own active social media presence recently led to an inbound message from a former college roommate who is now in the process of joining the Top Gun Team. This was not a paid lead or a cold call result, but a natural outcome of consistent, authentic content that prompted the right person to reach out.
The new real estate consumer is well-educated and informed. They don't want to be sold to; they want to find an agent they trust. As Nimergood puts it, "They will find you. They don't want to be found; they want to find you." A media presence allows prospective clients to do their own due diligence at their own pace, building trust before they ever make contact.
Contrary to popular belief, building a media presence does not require elaborate stunts or a film crew. Nimergood stresses, "You don't need to be doing TikTok dances and jumping out from behind pot plants." The key is to be consistent and act as an educator. An agent who regularly shares useful, local information builds more trust than one who attempts to go viral once and then disappears. This approach is sustainable long-term, as short, informative videos about market trends or common buyer mistakes require less effort and foster real relationships with viewers.
A media presence works on two fronts: it attracts clients and assists in recruiting. For clients, following an agent's content before meeting them makes them feel comfortable and shortens the sales cycle. For recruiting, agents evaluating a team can see the leader's philosophy and value through their content, making the decision to join clearer and more appealing.
Time is the most common objection, but Top Gun Team's "Podcast in a Box" program solves this by handling production, editing, and publishing. Agents only need to show up and talk about what they know. For more information about this support and the team's recruiting approach, visit the team's About page.
In 2026, a media presence is no longer optional for serious agents in Southlake and the broader Dallas-Fort Worth area. It has become one of the clearest ways to be found by the buyers, sellers, and future teammates who are already looking.
