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Teacher Pop-Bys or Virtual Gift Card

His listing videos have racked up millions of views and $8M in closed or pending volume in 2026 alone (and yes, he’s just using his iPhone).


) breaks down what he thinks 90% of agents miss, his TikTok “testing” strategy, the clips he always films, and a hot take that had us laughing out loud. 


Enjoy our conversation with Nashville real estate agent, Colton Reid.

 

Quotes have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Welcome Colton! Tell us about your market, who you serve, and what kind of client is the right fit for your business?

My business is rooted in Nashville proper, though I also serve the greater market, including Franklin and Nolensville.

My average sale is around $700K, with most clients in the mid-$500s to $1M range. I'm primarily on the buy-side, focused on first-time buyers — especially Millennials, Gen Z, and out-of-state clients.

The clients who are the best fit for me are those who value guidance and transparency. I’m very direct in my advice; I’ll always walk my clients through the good, the bad, and the potential of every home. My goal is for them to understand what they're buying today, and how it fits their long-term lifestyle and investment goals. 

You already have $8M in closed or pending volume from social media this year. Take us back to the moment TikTok went from "side experiment" to a real pipeline & what shifted in your strategy.

TikTok became a real pipeline for me around mid-2025. I had a few random posts perform well, unrelated to real estate. That showed me the potential, so I decided to treat it like a real business channel and focus my content. I committed to posting 2–3 times a day for 90 days.

Historic homes resonate most (people connect with their character, texture, color, and charm) compared to polished new-construction homes. That consistency, paired with clearer content direction, is what changed everything. Videos started hitting 50K–100K+ views, and I was getting 500+ messages a week.

I adapted that same format for Instagram, which hadn't been converting — but once the content aligned, it grew by nearly 5,000 followers in six months

, with multiple viral videos that kicked off my first wave of clients from Instagram.

Walk us through your TikTok strategy...posting cadence, types of videos, and how you decide what gets posted to TikTok vs. Instagram.

I typically film 3-5 homes per week (dialed back from 10–15). As my business has grown, it’s been less about volume and more about precision. 

I’m balancing 3–5 active clients at any given time, so I focus on homes I 

 have something special. For each property, I shoot two distinct video styles. Over time, I’ve learned that different formats resonate differently, so I let TikTok be the testing ground. 

Whichever version performs best on TikTok is what gets pushed to Instagram. 

That strategy alone gives me about a 70–80% success rate on Instagram.

TikTok also dictates my audio strategy. I’ll test an audio there first, then carry it over.

As for the homes I spotlight, I focus on what my audience responds to: character, charm, and emotion. The kinds of homes people grew up dreaming about 

(The Holiday, Home Alone, Father of the Bride, Miss Honey’s cottage in Matilda)

That emotional connection is what makes people feel something, and drives engagement and shares.

I take editing seriously, too. The difference between a video that performs and one that doesn’t often comes down to how polished and intentional it feels.


Your listing reels have millions of views, and your hooks clearly work. What's the secret sauce that most agents miss?

Most agents are missing their target audience!!! 

I cannot stress that enough! First, learn what your local audience wants to see. Mine, for the most part, loves old homes, walkable locations, and tree-lined streets.

My hooks are about what will resonate with all people, not limited to local viewers. Yes, I sell Nashville homes, but if I know a video has broader appeal, I’m not going to say, “POV: this storybook cottage in Nashville, TN is what you’ve been waiting for.” I’m going to think, what can I say that will get someone in Maine to share this and fall in love with Nashville?


When I film, I’m thinking about the first shot I can capture to grab attention (because let’s be honest, you have about 3 seconds to catch people’s eye).

I check the angles of the home. Does it shoot best straight on or from the side? Are there flowers or trees that enhance the overall picture?

I have a hot take for agents and listing videos: You DO NOT need to be in every shot! Most people don’t care to see you walking in the kitchen, grazing your hand across the countertops! 

That last line made us laugh out loud! Now, tell us about the music you select and your captions.

The music is one of the most important parts of the video, in my opinion. The song has to match the vibe and cadence of the video. A bad song choice can ruin everything!

A modern home shouldn’t feel the same as a storybook Tudor. If a home feels nostalgic or whimsical, the audio has to match that emotion, otherwise it’ll fall flat. 


Sometimes I’ll listen to 50+ songs and test my video with each one. I have to put myself in the viewer’s shoes, what feels right and actually creates emotion?

I have my master’s in marketing, and one of the most valuable takeaways was: if you can evoke emotion or a memory, you can completely capture your audience.

As for captions, mine really haven’t changed in over a year. I stay very consistent with the verbiage, format, and style across both Instagram and TikTok.

Once someone DMs you from a listing reel, what happens next? What are you doing to keep the conversation moving?

I message everyone personally, I don’t use ManyChat, although I use that style of “comment ‘Home’ for the link.” 

 the ManyChat. It’s exhausting, and it’s a numbers game, but it eventually works.

My first message is straightforward and consistent:

“Hi [Name], here’s the link to the home in [area] Nashville. Let me know if you have any questions.”

I also make sure they know I’m not the listing agent - that I work with buyers in their position. From there, I try to open the door for conversation, but I don’t force it. This is where personality really matters, you have to tailor it to how you naturally communicate.

98% of people you message won’t even acknowledge it, but if someone is serious about buying and not already working with another agent, they’ll usually let you know pretty quickly.

I do have one rule: if I’ve messaged someone 5 listing links and they haven’t acknowledged them at all (no likes or reactions), I stop sending links on new listing videos. Some might think that’s a bad approach, but it keeps me sane. If they really want the information, they’ll come back and ask for it.

For the agent reading this who's on Instagram but hasn't touched TikTok yet (or has tried and stalled), what's the one move you'd tell them to make?

Take all the content you’ve already created and start putting it on TikTok, 

. See what performs!

At the end of the day, it comes down to consistency and volume. You just have to post and keep posting.

TikTok is a lot more forgiving than Instagram. If the video is a little shaky, that’s okay. Color slightly off? Fine. Not as polished or smooth as you’d normally want? Still fine. 

Instagram tends to be a harsher critic, but TikTok cares more about the content itself than perfection.

You just have to push through that and stay consistent when it comes to Tiktok!


Colton Reid is a Nashville, Tennessee real estate agent and a member of Coffee & Contracts. 

 is a marketing platform that helps real estate agents make social media their top lead source. 

8M in closed & pending volume from TikTok & Instagram – in 2026 alone.

8M in closed & pending volume from TikTok & Instagram – in 2026 alone. Meet Colton Reid, Nashville Real Estate Agent

made a bet. She'd go all-in on Instagram for six months — post consistently, follow the C&C strategy, and see what happened. Eighteen months later, she's closed $10 million in volume with another $25 million pending, and Instagram has become her primary source of business.

Enjoy our conversation with Lauren Delamater. Quotes have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How long have you been in real estate, and what made you choose this career?

My grandfather was a Realtor for 25-30 years, and going to his office in the Chicago suburbs as a kid always seemed so exciting to me; it planted a seed early on.


I had my kids young, so a dependable income was always important to our family. It wasn't until later that I could transition into real estate. I've been an agent now for 8.5 years - it was a long-term goal!

I've always been an entrepreneur. My mom and I owned a café, and I ran a wedding-planning company. Both experiences shaped how I think about business and my clients' experience. I finally made the jump when we moved to Charleston, South Carolina.


What did your marketing look like before Instagram started clicking for you?

I was trained by someone more traditional, with lots of experience in print marketing. It was perfect as a new agent because they shared leads with me, and I built my sphere that way – I got really lucky right out of the gate. 

Three and a half years ago, I made a change and joined an independent brokerage where marketing and lead generation were completely on me, and I quickly realized I needed to replace those leads. 

At the time, I started seeing agents in my market finding success on Instagram, and that got my attention. That's also the time I found Coffee & Contracts, and I decided in December 2024 to go all in on Instagram in January 2025.

I committed to figuring it out, posting consistently, and implementing the C&C strategy. I told myself that if it didn’t work after six months, I'd go back to something else. 

This year, every single closing I've had is from Instagram. How wild is that? I've closed about $10 million from Instagram now and have around $25 million in pending sales. It’s insane to me!

What's surprised you most about the clients who find you on Instagram?

My favorite clients are the ones who have found me on Instagram! The best part is, by the time they reach out, there's no need for me to "sell" them because they feel like they already know me.

What would you tell an agent who is hesitant to start?

If it doesn't work after consistently trying for 4-6 months, fine, but if you follow the strategy and do exactly what Coffee & Contracts has laid out, it will work.

There's definitely a learning curve, for example, figuring out how to film nicer listing videos on my phone, but Coffee & Contracts provides resources, like the Reels Guide, to help you improve your skills.

I think people hold back because they're afraid of what other agents will think. You just have to accept the fear and do it anyway - they don't pay your bills!


Every piece of content inside Coffee & Contracts is built around three jobs:

 — reaching people who've never heard of you. Local itineraries, events & happenings, relatable local quips, and personal recommendations. This is the type of content locals share, and relocators save. 

 — building trust over time. Market updates, sharing behind-the-scenes of your business, your point of view, and stories of your clients having great outcomes. This lays the foundation for trust and establishes you as the right person to work with.

 — turning followers into conversations and clients. Listings they can message you about, lead magnets that get them on your email list, and posts that feel like direct invitations to start a conversation.

Lauren Delamater is a Charleston, SC real estate agent and a member of Coffee & Contracts. 

 is a marketing platform that helps real estate agents make social media their top lead source. The posts featured in this article are Coffee & Contracts templates.

She's Closed $10 Million from Instagram. Meet Lauren Delamater, Charleston Real Estate Agent

How the New Instagram Algorithm Affects Real Estate Agents

If you've been on Instagram this week, you've probably seen the buzz around Adam Mosseri's latest update. A lot of agents are wondering if their content strategy is about to get penalized, and the short answer is no, 

as long as you're customizing your content the way we teach.

"If most of what you post to Instagram is someone else's content, your account is no longer going to be recommendable. That means we'll no longer show your posts to people who don't follow your account proactively."

If you're a C&C member who's been making your templates your own, this update is actually working in your favor. Instagram is rewarding exactly the kind of content you've been posting all along.

Instagram is looking at the bigger picture of what your account publishes over time, not grading you post by post. So if one of your reels uses a trending audio or you reposted a market stat last Tuesday, your account isn't getting flagged. The accounts losing reach are the ones running almost entirely on screenshots, uncredited reposts, and copy-pasted memes.

If you're posting your listings, your local takes, your face, and your perspective, you're already in the clear.

Yes! Templates aren't what Instagram is cracking down on. Think of a C&C template as your starting point. We give you the scroll-stopping hook, the structure that gets people to save, share, or engage, and the marketing strategy to keep your account growing.

You make every template uniquely yours by adding your listing photos, your neighborhood, your voice, your recommendations, and your face.

When you customize the way we teach, Instagram doesn't see a "template," it sees an original piece of content, which is exactly what the algorithm is rewarding right now.

How C&C Templates Work with the Algorithm Update

Our templates are designed to transform into content that's unique to you and your market. We give you the foundation, and we give you the tools to make every post yours. Here's what that looks like:

Built-in space for your photos and details.

 Every template has room for your listing shots, your neighborhood photos, your behind-the-scenes, and the local details that make your content unmistakably yours.

 Our local-focused templates include prompts that help you weave in hyper-local references, places, and recommendations only someone in your area would know, which is exactly what gets locals saving and sharing.

 customizes every caption to sound like you with local-specific references, events, places, and hashtags pulled in automatically.

 lets you get original reel scripts, relocation scripts, and case study frameworks built around your market, your listings, and your story, so you're never posting something generic.

You can check in about thirty seconds. Open Instagram, go to Settings, then Account Status. You'll see if there are any restrictions on your account. If something's off, you can submit an appeal right from there.

The longer-term fix is the same thing that grows your account: lean into original content. For C&C members, that means using the templates as a starting point and putting more of yourself into every post.

The agents who are going to win on Instagram in 2026 are the ones showing up as themselves. The good news is, that's the Coffee & Contracts philosophy. Every template gives you the framework and strategy. You bring the local expertise, the personality, and the perspective that no algorithm update can take away from you.

If you've been customizing your templates, adding your photos, and writing in your voice, you're already doing exactly what Instagram is now formally rewarding. Keep going.

If you're ready to start showing up on Instagram with content that's built to grow your account in 2026, Coffee & Contracts gives you everything you need in one place. 

Hundreds of customizable templates, the AI Caption Generator, the Creator Studio with reel scripts, lead magnets, and a full library of content designed to build your audience and nurture them from followers to clients. 

Try a free week of content with 10 free templates and see how easy it is to post original content that actually grows your business.

→ Try a free week of Coffee & Contracts

Teacher Pop-Bys or Virtual Gift Card

More like this

8M in closed & pending volume from TikTok & Instagram – in 2026 alone. Meet Colton Reid, Nashville Real Estate Agent

She's Closed $10 Million from Instagram. Meet Lauren Delamater, Charleston Real Estate Agent

The 2026 Instagram Algorithm Update: What Realtors Need to Know

Put Coffee & Contracts to work for you

Teacher Pop-Bys or Virtual Gift Card

More like this

8M in closed & pending volume from TikTok & Instagram – in 2026 alone. Meet Colton Reid, Nashville Real Estate Agent

She's Closed $10 Million from Instagram. Meet Lauren Delamater, Charleston Real Estate Agent

The 2026 Instagram Algorithm Update: What Realtors Need to Know

Put Coffee & Contracts to work for you

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