The real estate market in Southlake, TX, has undergone a fundamental shift. Buyers and sellers no longer wait for an agent to find them; they conduct their own research, form opinions, and then decide whom to contact. This change has made a media presence non-negotiable for agents who want to remain competitive. Justin Nimergood, leader of the Top Gun Team at Epique Realty, has turned this insight into a core requirement for his team, emphasizing that consistent, authentic content is the key to being discovered by modern consumers.
Nimergood has witnessed the power of this approach firsthand. His own growing social media presence recently led to an inbound message from a former college roommate, now in the process of joining the Top Gun Team. This was not a paid lead or a cold call result; it was the natural outcome of a person seeing consistent, real content and reaching out on their own terms. This anecdote illustrates a broader trend: agents who win business today are those who show up when buyers and sellers search for answers about the market, neighborhoods, or the buying process.
“They don’t want to be sold to anymore,” Nimergood said. “The new consumer of real estate is well educated and well informed, and they will find you. They don’t want to be found; they want to find you.” This philosophy redefines the purpose of marketing. Instead of interrupting potential clients with cold calls or mailers, a media presence allows prospects to conduct their due diligence at their own pace. By the time they make contact, they already trust the agent.
One common misconception is that building a media presence requires elaborate productions or viral stunts. Nimergood is quick to dispel this notion: “You don’t need to be doing TikTok dances and jumping out from behind pot plants.” The bar is much lower and more sustainable: be consistent and be an educator. An agent who regularly shares useful, local information builds more trust than one who attempts to go viral and then disappears. This approach is also easier to maintain long-term, as short, informative videos about local market trends or common buyer mistakes require less effort than heavily produced content and foster genuine connections with viewers.
A media presence works on two fronts: client acquisition and recruiting. For clients, following an agent’s content before meeting them creates immediate comfort. They have already seen the agent’s philosophy and answers to questions, which shortens the sales cycle and reduces the need to establish credibility. On the recruiting side, the same content reaches agents evaluating team options. A recruit who watches a team leader consistently add value on camera gains a clearer picture of what working with that leader entails than one who reads a slide deck.
Time is the most common objection agents raise. Most are busy closing deals and do not want to become video editors. The Top Gun Team’s “Podcast in a Box” program addresses this by handling production, editing, and publishing, requiring only that the agent show up and talk about what they already know. Agents interested in this support and the team’s recruiting approach can explore the team’s About page.
In Southlake and across Dallas-Fort Worth, a media presence has evolved from a nice-to-have to a clear way to be found by buyers, sellers, and future teammates who are already searching. Agents who embrace this shift will position themselves for success in 2026 and beyond.
