As real estate professionals across Dallas-Fort Worth brace for a slower stretch, one team leader is taking a contrarian approach. Justin Nimergood, who leads the Top Gun Team at Epique Realty, believes the next 12 to 24 months will be difficult for the housing market, but instead of cutting back, he is doubling down on his team and infrastructure.
“It’s our belief that the next 12 to 24 months in the real estate market is going to be tough,” Nimergood said. Rather than pulling back, he is investing more in his team, drawing on Warren Buffett’s long-held approach of investing when others retreat. “While everyone else is pulling back, I’m actually going to be doubling down on our team,” he added. The goal is to come out of the downturn better positioned than competitors who spend the year in survival mode.
A key part of the plan is changing how clients meet the team. The team is launching a new website with individual agent pages, a mortgage calculator for buyers and sellers, and an AI-based home valuation tool. Combined with the team’s YouTube channel and social media accounts, the idea is to give buyers and sellers a reason to engage with the team before they ever pick up the phone. “We want them to know us almost before we even have that first conversation with them,” Nimergood said. For homeowners seeking a low-pressure starting point, the team’s property valuation tool offers an easy entry.
Nimergood also warns of burnout in a slow market, where agents work longer hours for fewer deals. “I think a lot of people are going to face burnout next year,” he said. His team is structured so agents can cover for one another; one agent will spend most of November in India while the team keeps her clients moving, and Nimergood has a cruise planned for next May without worry. For any agent, the lesson is to establish backup now—a trusted colleague, a team, or a clear handoff plan—to rest without letting clients down.
For buyers and sellers, a tougher market does not eliminate the need to move. Job changes, growing families, and downsizing still happen. What changes is the value of an agent who is steady, informed, and still investing in the work. Nimergood’s first priority is to survive the next 12 months; the bigger one is to use that time well enough that the team comes out ahead when the market turns. Learn more at TheTopGunTeam.com.
