Real Producers Podcast: Adapting and Thriving in Real Estate with Eric Lowry
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Daniel and Patrick on the Real Producers Podcast to talk about my journey in real estate — from getting started in 1998, navigating the 2008 market crash, building the Lowry Team, and what it really takes when it comes to adapting and thriving in real estate no matter what the market throws at you. If there is one thing I have learned in 26 years, it is that adapting and thriving in real estate is not optional — it is the only way to survive long term.
How I Got Into Real Estate
Believe it or not, I wanted to be a real estate agent since high school. My uncle was a Realtor and I watched him help people, build a successful business, and genuinely love what he did. I wanted that. But a teacher I respected told me I was too young and that no one would ever buy a house from me. I listened to him — and spent the next 18 years in the retail and supermarket industry instead.
When I finally got the opportunity to make the jump into real estate I took it immediately, even without the six months of savings my first manager suggested I have. I just went all in, brought the same work ethic I had built in retail, and never looked back. Real estate is the best business I have ever been a part of and I would not trade it for anything.
Adapting and Thriving Through the 2008 Market Crash
Without question the hardest time in my real estate career was 2008. The financial markets were crashing, banks were failing, and people largely stopped buying houses. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.
What got me through it? Work. Plain and simple. Adapting and thriving in real estate during that time meant rolling up your sleeves and finding new ways to help people.
I realized there was a massive need for helping people in financial distress — people facing foreclosure, people underwater on their homes. I learned how to do short sales and did a lot of them. Interestingly, the brokerage leadership I was with at the time actually told me not to do them. I trusted my gut, ignored that advice, and it largely saved my business.
Some of the most appreciative clients I have ever had were those people I helped through short sales. I got them out of trouble when they needed it most. That is what this business is really about — helping people.
The Real Estate Market Today
When I look at what has happened over the last 18 months — lower home sales, rising interest rates, the NAR commission settlement and new rules for working with buyers — it has been challenging. But it does not come close to what 2008 felt like.
The biggest change we are navigating right now is probably the biggest disruption to our industry since the internet changed how homes were bought and sold. The way buyers work with agents has fundamentally changed. You now need a signed buyer agreement to work with buyers, commission structures have changed, and agents have to be better negotiators than ever before.
Some agents are saying nothing has changed. I would encourage those agents to reread the new rules carefully. A lot has changed and adapting and thriving in real estate right now means embracing that change, figuring it out, and keep going. Work always works. The agents who commit to adapting and thriving in real estate through these changes will come out stronger on the other side.
Building the Lowry Team
y wife Lisa and I built the Lowry Team from the ground up at EXP Realty. We have 12 agents on our team today with more joining soon, covering West Central and Southwest Ohio across three MLSs.
One of the things I am most proud of is our training program. We built a fully customized learning management system from scratch — not the same recycled training content you find at most brokerages. It is a complete course with multiple modules designed to teach agents how to actually build a real estate business, not just fill out contracts.
We also recently launched an AI sales coaching module as part of our training. AI in real estate is a real and significant thing and we want our agents ahead of it.
The foundation of everything we do comes down to a few core pillars: lead generation, lead conversion, and training. In a sales business you need leads. But having a bunch of names means nothing if you cannot convert them into clients. And none of it works without the right training and systems behind it.
Watch the full podcast episode on YouTube!
My Advice for Real Estate Agents
Whether you are brand new or a seasoned agent navigating today’s market, here is what I would tell you:
Find a mentor and listen to them. When I started in 1998 my manager Judy King basically told me what to do for the first year or two and I just did it. I trusted that she had been successful and if she was telling me to do it, I was going to do it. That approach saved me early in my career.
New agents especially — get on a team, learn the systems, learn how the business really works. You do not have to stay on a team forever but learning from people who have already figured it out will shorten your learning curve dramatically.
Value always wins. In the absence of value it always comes down to price. If you cannot clearly articulate why a client should work with you, you are going to have a tough time. The agents who are going to thrive through all of these changes are the ones who can demonstrate real value — knowledge, negotiation skills, market expertise, and genuine care for their clients.
Keep raising your game. I am always learning. Adapting and thriving in real estate means being in constant pursuit of getting better. That is one of the most enjoyable parts of this business for me. The agents who commit to that mindset will always find a way to adapt and thrive no matter what the market looks like.
There Is Enough Business For All Of Us
One last thing I want to say — for the good agents, the ones who are committed to helping people and doing this business at a high level, there is more than enough business out there. I never worry about sharing what is working for me because collaboration makes all of us better. It makes the industry better and raises the perception of real estate agents overall.
The next 18 months I believe the level of professionalism required in this industry is going to raise the bar for everyone — and that is a great thing.
Thanks to Daniel and Patrick at the Real Producers Podcast for having me on. It was a great conversation and I really enjoyed it!
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