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As you plan your 2025, it’s important to be intentional about including self-development activities. After all, our business will only grow as much as we do as business owners. With hundreds of books to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know which one will truly have a positive impact on your life and your business. To help, we reached out to real estate agents nationwide to compile our list of the best books for real estate agents.
Best books for mindset
Failing Forward by John Maxwell
Rebecca Del Pozo, an agent and trainer out of Washington State, recommended this book, saying, “I read this book in 2003 when I was a brand new real estate agent. The book helped me look at things differently, helping me to understand that it’s not a failure as long as you learn something. It helped me embrace my new real estate career and look at it in terms of always learning, always growing and this has stuck with me for the past 21 years.”
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Start with Why by Simon Sinek
A helpful read to understand what makes certain companies, such as Apple and Nike, so much more successful than their competitors and how to apply those principles to your own business. As the title states, it’s all about starting with why. What’s the purpose behind your real estate business? What greater goal are you looking to achieve? A good book for new agents and agents who are in the process of pivoting or rebranding.
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The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
I heard Shawn Achor give a keynote speech at a real estate conference several years ago, and his ideas have stuck with me. Rarely do real estate agents talk about happiness — we talk about our deals and our new cars, but we do not (as a whole) prioritize happiness. In The Happiness Advantage, Achor sets out to prove that increased happiness will correlate to increased success in business. I believe him. Read this one for yourself and see if you do, too.
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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
A catchy title backed up by an important message, this book is universally applicable across all industries. Lola Khue of Minneapolis says this book, “really helped me remove feelings of things I can’t control and reframe my thinking.” Read Manson’s profanity-laden work to reduce stress by letting go of what’s outside your control and stop giving a f*ck!
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Best motivational books for real estate agents
All It Takes is a Goal by Jon Acuff
Recommended by several agents, this book showed Leah Haunani Awapuhi McCann how to turn potential into a goal and then how to achieve that goal. You can’t take action on an idea you can’t define, much like you can’t win a race without a finish line. She says there are so many nuggets in this book for all agents, as well! A great gift for everyone in your life, as this is not a real estate-specific book.
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Finish by Jon Acuff
Another winner by this author, Finish helped real estate legend James Shaw in his business and his life. Shaw says, “This book was a major difference-maker for me. I’m an idea guy and my mind is always moving. I start a ton of those ideas and finish so few. Sometimes, I got sidetracked by another idea; sometimes, I got away from my plan and struggled to get back on track. Jon Acuff taught me that it’s the ‘day after perfect that’s the make or break day for any goal.’ That mindset has helped me become someone who has moved from chronic starter to consistent finisher.”
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Best books to improve Realtors’ communication skills
7 Levels of Communication by Michael J. Maher
We had many, many recommendations for this classic real estate, leadership, and sales book (it’s also one of my personal favorites). Nicole Aldaz from Arizona enthusiastically says “7 Levels of Communication changed my life, career and future. When I learned the strategies and met the author, it was like the skies parted and the angels sang!! No cold calling; I learned how to run my business with love, generosity, and appreciation. Attracting clients vs. chasing clients. Partnering with charities and hosting events!”
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The Full Fee Agent by Chris Voss & Steve Shull
Another one I read this year, The Full Fee Agent is a real estate-specific book, with actionable advice to help agents earn more income. Sally Ball, a farm and ranch specialist in Colorado, says, “It was so good, I read it twice. It’s a brilliant handbook on how to have the hard conversations with clients; my biggest takeaway was giving up ‘I’m here to save the day and fix your problems’ and replacing that with empowering clients to make (and own) their best choices.”
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Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
An incredible book and accompanying course for all leaders in any industry, Fierce Conversations is a must-read for everyone looking to improve their communication. Multiple agents recommended this one. Hallie Warner, Vermont native and co-author of the Founder & Force Multiplier (another great book), says, “Leadership is influence. And you need to understand how to communicate effectively to influence anyone. This book gave me the framework and scripts to say what I meant, get the results I wanted, and build stronger relationships along the way.”
Katie Campbell (co-host of the We’re Your Friends Now podcast) agrees, saying Fierce Conversations helped her “dial in to what I wanted successful interactions to look like and how to be a clear communicator in my leadership.”
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How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Though it was originally published back in 1936, Carnegie’s bestseller has stood the test of time for a reason. It works! The lessons in this book are universal and actionable: ways to make people like you, ways to convince people to see your point of view, and ways to influence people without creating resentment. As real estate is very much a people-focused business, I’d highly recommend studying How to Win Friends and Influence People.
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Exactly What to Say for Real Estate Agents by Phil Jones, Chris Smith & Jimmy Mackin
The title is simple and direct for a reason. Read this book if you ever wonder what to say, and it will tell you exactly what to say! The real estate version is especially impactful for us agents, as the conversations in it are tailored to our unique industry. Practicing what to say will not only make you sound more professional, it will also increase your confidence. It’s a great book for new agents.
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Best books for finding your purpose
Living Forward by Michael Hyatt
MAPS coach and referral agent Anna Krueger recommends this motivational book about creating a life you love, by design. She says, “This book prevents climbing the ladder of success and realizing it’s leaning on the wrong wall. It’s based on the idea that people spend longer planning a vacation than they do the trajectory of their lives. It teaches you how to design the life you truly want, decipher what values matter to you, and help you get a filter for what you say yes and no to. It’s the BEST book I’ve read and has helped me make pivotal decisions in life and business.”
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The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews
Jacob Dixon has read a lot of books as co-founder of The Locker Room coaching and is an author himself. He says The Traveler’s Gift is an “amazing book with such a captivating delivery in how it’s written. At the end of each chapter, there’s a beautifully written affirmation that readers can read on their own every single day.” One of Jacob’s favorite quotes from the book is: “Those who are critical of my goals simply do not understand the greater purpose to which I’ve been called.” What a powerful affirmation!
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Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish
According to Tristan Ahumada, co-founder of the Lab Coat Agents group on Facebook, Clear Thinking is “a guide to making better decisions by cutting through the noise. This book offers tools and techniques for critical reasoning, avoiding biases, and understanding probabilities.” Lessons learned from this book: “Critical thinking and self-awareness are key to making informed and unbiased decisions.” Backed by science, Clear Thinking is an excellent choice for agents looking to improve their decision-making in the New Year.
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Best books for real estate strategy
Shift by Gary Keller, Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan
A very timely book as we head into another major real estate shift in many markets across the country, Shift is a useful guide for experienced and new agents alike, filled with practical tactics for pivoting your business to survive and grow during tough economic seasons. If you’re looking for ways to capture and hold onto market share during this next shift, read this book and implement the strategies inside.
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Success with Real Estate Mailers by Janine Sasso
If you want to add mailers to your lead generation strategy or want to improve your existing farming system, check out this book. Written by a top-producing agent in the Chicago area, Sasso has developed, perfected and still uses her mailer system as her core prospecting activity in her real estate business. Learn how to dominate your hyper-local market using her system. This is a fantastic guidebook for agents who dread cold calling!
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The Art of War by Real Estate Agents by Keith Krikorian
Just released this Thanksgiving and already an Amazon bestseller, this adaptation of the ancient text “The Art of War” is a fantastic book for agents looking to take charge and win more business. The tactics readers will learn are especially beneficial for new real estate agents as they start their careers. Part mindset, part strategy, and part motivation — you won’t want to miss this one!
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The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller, Dave Jenks & Jay Papasan
The OG of real estate playbooks, this classic should be required reading for real estate school. This book is one to read over and over again, as the principles hold true even 30 years after publication. Many real estate agents re-read this book every year. Learn the tried-and-true business-building techniques used by top agents and team owners in the country. It’s an excellent refresher for experienced agents and a staple for new agents.
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Best books for real estate agent productivity
The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
One of the top productivity books out there, The One Thing has been a bestseller since it was published in 2013. This is one of my favorite books and one that I’ve read multiple times. Michigan agent Jolie Kehoe Abreu agrees, “The One Thing has resonated with me since originally reading it, and I re-read and reference it multiple times throughout the year. I also joined the private mastermind and became an instructor because of the lessons in the book, wanting to share them with future generations! I am grateful that Keller and Papasan created this book that has impacted me so much!”
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Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Not a real estate book. However, this book teaches an invaluable system for helping business owners increase profitability. After all, what’s the point in earning those large commission checks if you spend it all and there’s no profit left over? Michaelowicz’s system is easy to digest and simple to implement, even for those of us who aren’t math whizzes. For the real estate investors among us (or as a great gift for your investor clients), check out Profit First for Real Estate Investors, written by David Richter with Mike Michalowicz.
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10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Written by an organizational psychologist and an expert on entrepreneurship, Sullivan and Hardy teach their readers how to use time, money, relationships and purpose more strategically to achieve exponential growth. A great book to dive into and experience a powerful mindset shift to make this your best year yet.
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Best books for self-awareness & self-improvement
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
A New York Times bestseller and one of Bloomberg’s best books of the year, Dare to Lead offers a different perspective on leadership: leaning into vulnerability, using empathy, asking the right questions, and exhibiting courage even when we don’t have all the answers (all important qualities real estate agents ought to lean into).
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High-Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard
Burchard takes readers through the core six habits of extremely high performers, in a variety of industries. Jackson Stout, an agent in the Atlanta market, sings Burchard’s praises, saying this book “literally changed the way I look at all of my life from professional to personal life.”
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Atomic Habits by James Clear
Lots of agents rave about Atomic Habits. Elizabeth Gassos, an agent in Dallas, says Atomic Habits “made something that seemed so daunting seem simple. It made making a 1% change every day a more manageable idea.” Araceli Vasquez of Las Vegas adds: “We all know it’s all about the habits, and this book is about HOW to build them (or to stop them). Clear spent many years studying and researching the topic. He thoroughly explains everything and readers can start implementing what they learn immediately.”
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Quiet by Susan Cain
Not a real estate book (although there will be a real estate book for introverts coming out this spring, written by me!), yet this book is a must-read for understanding how introverts are wired. Personally, this book changed my life. It helped me realize why I was always feeling burned out in my real estate career. After reading Quiet, I made changes to my calendar and my lead generation plan; my business tripled the following year, and my quality of life improved dramatically. Read it for yourself if you’re an introvert. And if you’re not, read it to better understand the introverts in your life.
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These are just a few of the many incredibly helpful books for real estate agents out there. My advice as an agent and coach is to read one at a time, take time between books to process what you learned and start implementing those lessons. The agent who reads one or two books each year and takes action will see much more progress than the one who reads hundreds and makes no change in their life or business. Read, internalize, implement and repeat!
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About Ashley Harwood
Ashley Harwood began her real estate career in 2013 and built a six-figure business as a solo agent before launching Move Over Extroverts in 2018. She developed training materials, classes, and coaching programs for her fellow introverts. Beginning in 2020, Ashley served as Director of Agent Growth for three Keller Williams offices in the Boston metro area. She’s now the Lead Listing agent for the Fleet Homes team in Massachusetts and a regular contributor to Vetted by HousingWire. She created The Quiet Success curriculum and has taught thousands of real estate agents nationwide. She has also been a guest speaker at top industry events and has been named a leading real estate coach by prominent industry publications.
