The agents who will win 2027 are preparing now
After a spring that fell short, July brought a strong sales surge — home sales were up 7% year over year. But look past that headline and the picture gets complicated fast: newly pending listings grew just 0.3% annually and fell nearly 8% from June, as mortgage rates hit their highest point in a year. As Zillow's chief economist, Mischa Fisher, recently put it: "In a market that swings this much from month to month, precision matters more than it used to."
But what does precision look like in practice? And how do you get there? That's what Unlock 2026, October 12–15 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, is built to explore – setting agents, team leads and brokers up for success in Q4 and beyond.
The data advantage is real
The agents pulling ahead right now share a common trait: they're not reacting to the news cycle — they're thinking two steps ahead. To them, a rate shift isn't just a headline, but a list of newly qualified buyers. A softening in a specific price tier isn't just a trend, but a window to reach the right seller before anyone else does.
Each year at Unlock, Zillow's home trends expert presents a first look at the annual Consumer Housing Trends Report before it's published anywhere else. This analyst-led breakdown of real buyer and seller behavior is shaped with action in mind, helping agents to identify real opportunities and focus efforts where they'll drive the most growth.
Timing is everything
Most agents know their next deal is most likely already in their database. The challenge is knowing which clients are ready to move before they start shopping elsewhere.
According to Zillow research, 52% of buyers' first step was contacting an agent and 80% reached out to one within their first three steps. The agent who gets that initial call tends to win the transaction. In a market where buyers are re-engaging after months on the sidelines, being top of mind at exactly the right moment is a competitive strategy.
Unlock's peer-led sessions are designed to answer this exact question: how to become the agent clients reach out to first. Top producers share what's working in their markets, what they tried that didn't, and how they stay positioned for when clients are ready to move, and attendees leave with tangible playbooks ready to be implemented.
AI integration wins
AI isn't replacing agents — sellers who use an agent still net $65,000 more than those who go it alone. But there is a growing separation between agents who've built AI into their workflow and those who are still figuring out where to start.
Nearly half of agents already use AI tools at least daily, while a quarter still rarely or never do. In a market where speed and responsiveness determine who gets the listing, being in the late majority is an avoidable disadvantage. Agents who've woven AI into their daily routine — for follow-up, content and client outreach — are getting that time back and putting it toward the work that actually closes deals, where being present and responsive is the whole job.
Unlock's hands-on tech workshops are where AI integration can be implemented in real time. Experts are ready to help agents connect AI, CRM, automation and Zillow tools into a real workflow, leaving them with work done and a competitive system in place before they head home.
The market won't wait
If rates hold, Q4 and 2027 could be the strongest markets agents have seen in years. If rates move back up, the agents with the tightest systems will be set up to outperform. The bottom line: preparation wins, and October is the time for agents to seed their advantage.
Secure your ticket at https://www.unlockconference.com and use discount code REN20 for 20% off.* Lock in your spot now before prices go up the closer we get to Unlock.
*Discount code can be used on all full-priced standard passes leading up to the 2026 Unlock event and cannot be combined with any other discounts. Offer valid until Oct. 11, 2026, or when tickets sell out, whichever comes first. Code must be applied at checkout — no retroactive adjustments will be made to previous or existing orders. No cash value.