Elite AgentOPINION

Why we need to stop over-complicating real estate

In a field cluttered with AI tools, scripts and training programs, the fundamental elements remain deceptively simple: building trust and solving problems. The parallel between running and real estate reveals how both reward consistency and human connection over technological distraction.

The other day, my running coach said something that stopped me in my tracks:

โ€œRunning isnโ€™t complicated. But runners are.โ€

It hit home, not just as someone pounding the pavement, but as a CEO in real estate.

Because truthfully? Real estate isnโ€™t complicated either. But some real estate agents are.

At its core, our job is simple. Build trust. Solve problems. Match people with property. Be of service. Yet the noise we create around it can be deafening. Systems, scripts, social strategies, branding, platforms, market trends, prospecting paralysis, itโ€™s a lot.

We can overthink, overanalyse, and over-engineer what should be instinctive and human. Just like the runner who forgets to enjoy the movement because theyโ€™re obsessing over pace, gear, and data.

Right now, Iโ€™m seeing this same tension play out across our industry.

Take AI. Itโ€™s meant to streamline and simplify, not replace our voice. Yet too many are chasing shiny tools without understanding how to use them meaningfully in a way that enhances client connection.

Take vendor expectations. We complicate the dialogue with fear-based narratives when all most sellers want is someone whoโ€™ll be honest, present, and proactive.

Take training. Weโ€™ve got more content than ever. But unless agents are clear on why they do what they do, it becomes another webinar, another template, another box ticked.

Like running, real estate rewards rhythm, consistency, and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Some days are hard. Some are magic. Most are somewhere in between. The growth is in showing up anyway.

So, my challenge to the industry is this: can we stop complicating what doesnโ€™t need to be complicated?

Letโ€™s strip it back. Real estate is about relationships. Movement. Momentum. Energy.

Just like a good run.

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Katrina Tarrant

Katrina Tarrant is the Chief Executive Officer for Harcourts NSW.