Homes.com outlines digital branding strategies agents need to win in a recovering market

As interest rates fall and buyer demand returns, brokers face a crucial moment to restore visibility and trust before customers are ready to transact. To win listings in a recovering market, agents must show up with purpose, be consistent and be where customers are looking for buying information. Chris Mumford, VP and CMO of Marketplaces at CoStar Group, explains why modern digital marketing is focused on building long-term brand presence throughout the buyer journey. Drawing from his career in leading challenger brand marketing and iconic advertising, Mumford shares how agents can build memorable personal brands, use paid media more effectively, avoid common marketing pitfalls and leverage platforms like Homes.com to stay top of mind.

Housing Wire: As interest rates begin to fall and buyer demand increases, what digital marketing strategies should agents prioritize now to stay top-of-mind as customers reenter the market?

Chris Mumford: Today’s buyers are shopping for real estate long before they ever make contact, and 100% of home buyers start their search online. That means agents need to meet buyers where they are and build trust early.

Homes.com is your listing, your lead^T.M model is built around that idea. We give agents consistent visibility across all channels – from our platform to traditional advertising and social media, including TikTok – without selling their leads or hiding information behind paywalls. The emphasis is on transparency, education and staying top-of-mind throughout a long decision-making cycle. Buyers come into contact with agents who feel like guides, not sellers. By keeping an agent’s brand present at every stage of the journey, we help them build that trust naturally. The strategy is simple: be where the audience is, tell stories that matter and let your authentic brand shine before the first conversation takes place.

HW: What separates a high-performing personal brand from a forgettable one? How can agents start building that brand today?

CM: High-performing personal brands emerge with purpose and consistency.

Real estate is no different. The strongest agents lead with value rather than just self-promotion. Take Matterport for example: this feature gives buyers a premium 3D tour of the home, with automated measurements and digital room layout. Member agents can use Matterport in listing presentations to demonstrate their ability to deliver cutting-edge virtual experiences that increase buyer interest and differentiate them from the competition.

Consistency builds trust. When buyers see your name during the buyer’s journey, they already feel familiar when it’s time to take action. Homes.com is built to enhance an agent’s brand, not compete with them: no lead diversion, just visibility where buyers are looking. Member Agents rank at the top of results and reach hundreds of thousands of additional buyers, and on average our Member Agents win 60% more deals. The message is simple: start where buyers look, lead with your unique value and let consistent exposure do the heavy lifting.

HW: What role does paid advertising (such as social or PPC) play in a modern real estate marketing strategy? What’s the smartest way for agents and teams to invest when the market turns?

CM: Paid advertising should empower agents, not compete with them. Bee Homes.comwe use digital advertising to drive real buyers to a consumer-facing platform where agents are prominently featured and credited.

Instead of selling leads, we invest heavily in social, search and performance marketing to increase traffic and engagement on Homes.com. This means that Member Agents remain visible throughout the entire process, not just at the transaction point. When the market turns, the smartest move for agents isn’t to outdo everyone else; it is to join a platform that is already investing at scale, driving momentum and strengthening their brand in the long term. That’s what a Homes.com membership delivers: built-in digital advertising power that keeps agents top-of-mind when demand returns.

HW: What are the most common digital marketing mistakes you see agents or brokers make?

CM: Most mistakes come down to inconsistency, inefficiency and unclear impact. Earlier in my career, working with global brands like GEICO, UPS, and Walmart, I learned that brands don’t fail because they lack creativity; they fail because they disappear and become irrelevant in the moments that matter most.

Officers make the same mistake when they appear in short bursts rather than consistently. If buyers don’t see you regularly, they won’t remember you when it matters. Another problem is spending without measurement. Too many agents invest in digital tactics but can’t explain what works or how it drives results. Homes.com is addressing this by investing in data-driven digital marketing that brings engaged buyers to a consumer-facing platform, where agents are clearly presented, measured and visible throughout the journey. It may be the only media investment an agent needs.

HW: How should team leaders or agents think differently about branding and content?

CM: Leaders need to think about branding at a different level than individual agents. The biggest breakthroughs happen when a brand feels cohesive instead of fragmented. That means shared values, consistent messages and a recognizable visual identity, rather than a collection of disconnected personal brands. That’s where technology becomes a force multiplier.

Homes.com helps extend that unified brand throughout the buyer journey by using advanced retargeting and tools like Listing Performance Reports, allowing leaders to plan content, measure performance, and continuously optimize at scale across the organization.

HW: What’s a simple but underrated tactic that agents can implement this week to attract more qualified buyers or sellers online?

CM: Make sure you position yourself completely online as a local expert. Buyers are not just looking for a house; they choose neighborhoods, schools and lifestyles. That’s where trust is built. Homes.com is unmatched in supporting this by showcasing agents alongside their listings on neighborhood and school pages that buyers are already researching. When buyers repeatedly see that you are connected to the areas they care about, you become the obvious choice. It’s a small shift that leads to more qualified conversations and stronger trust.

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