Should Real Estate Agents Talk About Politics Online?

This is a hot button issue for a lot of realtors, so I want to take some time to share my thoughts on this topic.

Here’s the quick TL;DR version:

1. If you’re not comfortable talking about politics in a public way, don’t do it. Simple as that.

2. I think it’s great to speak up about the things that matter most to you.

3. If you speak up about politics, know that there may be very real consequences.

If you’re thinking about speaking up on an important issue (or honestly, *anything* you post online), I have a quick exercise for you:

➡️ When you’re deciding what to post, ask yourself this:

Would you feel comfortable standing in front of a crowd of people you DON’T KNOW and sharing your post with them?

This means reading your words out loud, and if there’s an image, putting it on a big screen.

If the answer is yes, go for it. If you’re not so sure or you’re thinking NO, then you have your answer.

Alrighty. Let’s get into it!

📣 Should real estate agents talk about politics online? 

Turns out I have a lot to say about this. Here are some of my thoughts:

If you are a leader or influencer in your sphere, your opinion carries weight.

You get to lead by example. And if you have privilege, you get to determine how to use it. By sharing your opinions publicly, you may inspire others to do the same (for better or for worse). You might help educate folks who would like to learn more. You might help someone feel safer in their community because they know people like you are there.

Being vocal about politics and the issues that matter to you can help you stand out from the crowd in a good way.

No matter what content you’re sharing, I always encourage agents to get more personal. Your content should be so specific to you that no other agent can put their name on it.

Why is someone going to pick you over another agent? It might be that your politics and values resonate with them. Knowing where you stand on social issues might help potential clients feel more comfortable or safe with you. And if you hadn’t shared more of yourself online, you might miss out on those important connections.

Think about your ideal client. What would you want them to know about you? Would you want them to know about your feelings on different social issues, for example?

However, doing this may not come without consequence. On that note…

Know (and maybe expect) that there might be negative consequences.

If you’re thinking about being more vocal about politics, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. There could be major consequences, and honestly, I’m not even sure what some of these negative consequences might look like. No one knows for sure what the future holds. ⚠️

Now, in the context of your business, the most obvious things that realtors are worried about include losing business and losing followers on social media. So you need to think about how much you care about those things. Also keep in mind that people who head in another direction may not have ever been “your people,” and you might be able to better find clients who are more aligned with you.

Ok. Time for a little story. FYI, this story is NOT meant to sway you one way or another regarding whether or not to speak up about important issues. I just want you to go in with eyes wide open.

Here we go:

A long time ago, I knew a very well-intentioned realtor who once got a bit careless with their wording about a sensitive topic on their business’s social media. (Sorry for being a bit vague here.) The social media post was noticed by some folks who got angry about it, and the whole thing absolutely snowballed.

The realtor was put on blast and their words ended up in a scathing article on a small online publication. Suddenly, a much wider audience was privy to this mistake. The realtor received threats. Angry people found their home address, and the realtor didn’t feel safe at home for a while. There’s more to it, but that’s the jist of it. It was scary.

Sooooo many realtors post things that could easily be received in the same negative way, but they rarely blow up like this. Some realtors say downright incendiary, unethical, or inappropriate things online seemingly without consequence. Still, this is something that happened because it was related to a hot button issue. (And yes, this is a real story!)

After the whole thing blew over, the realtor continued to have a very successful career as a top producer.

I share this story to offer some insight about what a real life consequence could look like.

As a real estate agent, your job is deeply political. 

When I hear someone say that they’re just not that interested in politics, I know what they mean. The thing is, everything about being a real estate agent is political whether we like it or not. The economy, interest rates, affordability, taxes, zoning, Fair Housing, etc. Talking about politics is most certainly related to real estate!

I also work with a LOT of female real estate agents. Thanks to politics, us ladies can now own property and have our own bank accounts, etc.! It’s ALL political, whether we like it or not. If you speak out and someone says to stay in your lane… guess what…! Zoom zoom, you’re already right where you belong. 😅

Be mindful about what you share where you share it.

These days, there is probably no such thing as true privacy online, especially on social media. You can set up “close friends” lists on Instagram, or create custom audiences on your Facebook page, but it’s not foolproof. You can have some control over who sees what, but it’s also a lot to manage, and most realtors have a significant overlap of “personal” vs. “business.” (Read my blog “Do Real Estate Agents Need a Business AND a Personal Instagram Account?” for my thoughts on this topic.) Keep this in mind as you decide how to manage your online presence.

Negative comments can present some great opportunities. (Really!)

Now, what happens if you get a little more political with your content, and you get pushback or negative comments?

First, you can always just ignore, hide, or delete unwelcome comments. However, negative comments are also sometimes great opportunities to be curious, learn about other perspectives, educate, have productive discussions, and share more of yourself.

Whenever you respond to a negative comment, know that you’re not necessarily responding just to that person—you are showing who you are to everyone who reads your response.

There are people who are just quietly consuming your content and not engaging, but they’re still learning something about you. So keep this in mind if you are tempted to get a lil sassy or snarky. Keep it profesh!

If you want to speak up about an issue that is important to you, approach it from a place of education. 

Instead of doing a blanket endorsement of a politician or a specific issue, you could simply provide some information on that local initiative or candidate you want folks to know more about. 📝 Share the pros and cons. Invite conversation.

Taking action can help demonstrate your values to your sphere. Show vs. tell.

If you don’t feel comfortable speaking more directly about politics, lean into showing your values.

Spotlight a local organization doing important work in your community. Invite others to join you in donating to a mutual aid group. Etc.

(Of course, we should all work toward taking action vs. just talking about things online. But discussion is good, too!)

Be careful about burnout. Keep close tabs on your energy! 

I’ve personally gone through different phases of political engagement in my life. Around 2015 - 2018-ish, I went through a season where I became absolutely burned out on following the news, sharing my opinions online, taking action, going to protests, planning events, having intense conversations with people, exploring my own beliefs, and managing my subsequent depression and exhaustion. 🪫

It was my first time getting really involved and I learned so much about the world and myself. It was all important. But now, I’m much more cautious about where to spend my finite energy. I know myself better. Let my own story be a cautionary tale! 

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Thanks for reading. I’m very curious to hear your thoughts on this topic—DM me on Instagram!