How a top LA agent is rebuilding her life after the fires — one reel at a time

Are you afraid of “oversharing” on social media? It’s not just you. It’s why so many Realtors post nothing but market updates and store-brand-vanilla boring “JUST SOLD!!” posts. They know they’re leaving likes and leads on the table, but actually being themselves on their professional Instagram? They’d rather walk naked through Trader Joe’s. On a Sunday. Wearing a sign that says, “Kick me, I’m old.”

I don’t blame them. The line between career-ending TMI and lead-getting viral Reels gets blurrier every day. But as cliché and scary as it might sound, “be authentic” is still the best social media marketing advice you’ll ever get.

How authentic? Ask Kati Cattaneo. On a sunny January afternoon in 2024, she was live on Instagram — documenting her IVF procedure — when the LA fires broke out. She made a conscious choice to share her harrowing experiences from that day and the months that followed on her Instagram. The result? Her business is booming — she showed us the receipts to prove it. We sat down with Catteneo to learn why “oversharing” on social media might be the best real estate marketing move of your career and to get her advice on how to do it right.

Kati Catteneo: By the numbers

• Market: Greater Los Angeles — from the Palisades to Pasadena
• Niche: Millennials in the entertainment industry
• 2024 sales volume + sides: $18.7 million
• RealTrends Verified national ranking: 8,088
• Primary lead generation strategy: Referrals, social media
• Number of likes on most viral Instagram post: 342,768
• Highest ROI real estate software: Instagram

No pressure, no diamonds

For Catteneo, the setbacks came before the ink was dry on her real estate license. While she was still taking her real estate classes, someone in her sphere offered her a listing. Cattaneo followed up when she got her license, only to be told, “Sorry, I hired someone else!” She was crushed.

As she tried to think of more ways to generate that elusive lead that might turn into her first deal, a light bulb went off. The home was an ideal location and priced right for a flip. She would bring them a buyer. Here’s Cattaneo:

“I came up with a business plan, pulled comps and I sent it to my dad and my grandfather, saying, look, this is a great investment. You can be my financial partners. Let’s flip this. So we did, which was a lot of fun and how I got my first deal.”

The experience taught Cattaneo that setbacks — and the pressure they create — often lead to opportunities to shine. She quickly applied this mindset to her social media strategy. She decided to keep posting, no matter what.

Engagement matters less than you think

When I asked Cattaneo about which kinds of posts generate the most leads, she told me that many of the hand-raisers in her audience were the people most Realtors ignore: followers who watch but never like or comment on her posts. Engagement helps you grow your account, but contrary to what most Realtors think, it does not always lead to leads:

“I’m currently in escrow with clients who found me on Instagram from a ‘first-time-homebuyer-specialist’ hashtag. Always remember that even if you’re only getting a handful of views or likes, there are probably people out there who are watching you and actually forming a bond through the screen. They are learning your personality, and that’s what makes them raise their hands to reach out.”

Hire a Gen-Z social media manager, FR FR

While Cattaneo was adamant that authenticity, even radical authenticity, was the skeleton key that unlocks leads on Instagram, she admitted that even she needs help sometimes. Her suggestion? Hire a Gen-Z social media manager. They will offer you a shortcut to learn what’s trending and provide crucial advice on how to use it to grow your account. Think of them as sherpas to guide you on your journey to going viral.

Even though wages are slipping for Gen-Z social media managers young enough to know what FR FR stands for (For Real, For Real), you’ll still need to find, vet, interview and manage them. It’s not easy if you’ve never done it before.

Short on time? Get the next best thing: done-for-you trending templates and scripts from Coffee & Contracts. You’ll get fresh, trending content to post each week, along with a monthly content calendar, so you’ll never have to worry about what to post next. All for less than you probably spend on your morning coffee.

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Niche down to scale up

Cattaneo doesn’t only post about her personal life. Many of her most successful Reels and Stories are educational, but with a twist: She narrows her focus. Instead of posting generic tips for new homeowners, she drills down into what people in her niche really need to know — in her case, explaining the nuances of the FHA disaster loans that people who lost their homes in the Palisades fire could use to rebuild.

Her best advice for generating leads from educational videos is to always end your video with a quick, friendly call to action (CTA).

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Rebuilding after the fire — one reel at a time

Kati is currently rebuilding the home she lost in the Palisades fires — a process that she estimates will take several years to complete. In the meantime, she and her husband, who is a builder, are renovating a small bungalow in Encino. She is documenting the process, warts and all, on her Instagram, which continues to rack up followers, views, likes and leads.

When I asked her how losing her home changed the way she works with clients, she was quick to answer:

“The meaning of home has changed for me, and I think that helps my buyers in the end. Now I know, on the deepest level, what a home means — and it’s so much more than four walls protecting you. I also feel like I’ve become a bit more emotional when working with clients. I used to be so type A about it: Does this house check the boxes? And now, I’m watching my clients as they walk through homes, observing their body language and how they feel physically and emotionally when they enter ‘the one.'”

Your turn

Know an agent who’s thriving despite the odds and has actionable insights to share? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us here: [email protected].