Why Real Estate Agents Need to Rethink Social Media & Mental Health

In an industry where perception is currency and digital visibility can shape careers, we need to talk about the less glamorous side of social media in real estate—particularly the impact it has on our mental health.

The truth is, as real estate professionals, we’ve mastered the art of the highlight reel.

Our feeds are filled with just-sold stickers, auction-day victories, speaking gigs, podcast features, and carefully curated behind-the-scenes moments of a life “at the top”.

But here’s what we rarely show: the cancelled listings, the deals that fell through, the tough client conversations, or the personal toll of a high-pressure environment.

No one is going to post, “Hey, I lost five listings this week.” But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

This creates a dangerous illusion in our industry—one that fosters comparison, fuels FOMO, and quietly chips away at the confidence of even the most experienced agents.

Highlight Reel from the latest podcast between Real Estate Today Editor, Nic Fren & Content Collab Ellen Bathgate

We scroll, we watch, we consume—and suddenly, even on a good week, we start to feel like we’re falling behind.

Let’s call it what it is: a mental health blind spot.

As someone who works closely with agents and brands through Real Estate Today and Bespoke Media, I see it daily.

Brilliant agents second-guessing themselves because a peer posted a record-breaking result.

Start-up principals comparing their solo effort to a high-performing team in a blue-chip suburb. Regional agents questioning their brand because they’re not operating in prestige price points.

What we’re consuming online is only part of the story.

And yet, as an industry, we rarely have these conversations publicly. We talk about growth strategies, content hacks, and lead funnels—but not about boundaries, self-worth, or digital burnout. It’s time we do.

Context Matters: Your Market Is Not Theirs

One of the most important reminders in today’s always-on digital world is this: context matters.

Every agent’s situation is unique. Some are supported by high-performing teams with well-oiled backend systems.

Others are solo operators juggling listings, marketing, admin, and life. Some operate in tightly held, prestige markets.

Others are in volume-driven, price-sensitive regions. Everyone is navigating a different path—and that means comparison is not only unhelpful, but often irrelevant.

We need to draw a line in the sand between inspiration and internalisation.

Yes, be inspired by what’s possible. But don’t absorb someone else’s metrics as your benchmark if your path, people, and postcode are entirely different.

Digital Boundaries: Practical Tools for Mental Resilience

So how do we take back control of our digital wellbeing—without abandoning the platforms that help build our businesses?

Here are a few practical boundaries we should be encouraging across the real estate industry:

• Curate your feed: Unfollow or mute accounts that trigger unhealthy comparison. Follow those that educate, inspire, or energise you.

• Schedule your scroll: Avoid reactive consumption. Allocate time for intentional engagement, just like you would prospecting or vendor calls.

• Remember the edit: Every post is a snapshot, not a full picture. A “just listed” post doesn’t show the vendor meeting that almost went sideways.

• Take social breaks: Just like digital detoxes for consumers, agents can benefit from stepping back to reset perspective.

• Check in with your team: Start conversations in your office or group chat about social media and mental health. The moment someone says “I feel it too,” you break the isolation.

  
  

A Cultural Shift Is Needed

Real estate is fast-paced. It’s competitive. And it rewards visibility. But we must balance that with vulnerability.

We must normalise talking about the emotional side of what we do. Because behind every polished video and market update is a human navigating the same ups and downs as everyone else.

At Bespoke Media, we’re focused on creating content that not only performs but also protects. That means helping agents build authentic brands—ones that don’t just sell success, but reflect their story, warts and all. And at Real Estate Today, we’re committed to highlighting the full scope of the industry—not just the glossy wins, but also the conversations that matter.

We owe it to ourselves, and the next generation of agents coming through, to be more honest. To set better examples. To make mental health part of the strategy, not an afterthought.

Because while social media is a powerful tool, it should never come at the cost of the people behind the profile.

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Nic Fren is a media strategist, keynote speaker and founder of Bespoke Media Group. He is also the publisher of Real Estate Today, the real estate industry’s fastest-growing media brand across Australia and New Zealand.