Alison Alston: From Burnout to Balance — Building a Sustainable Real Estate Career
The real estate industry loses eighty-seven percent of new agents within five years. But despite steady demand, most agents are struggling with how to build a sustainable real estate career. Alison Alston Lodestone Real Estate — powered by eXp Realty in Charlotte, North Carolina — is proof that it is possible
On this episode of Why Do I Suck as a Real Estate Agent, she sat down with me to explain how patience, boundaries, and hard-won wisdom changed everything.
Who Is Alison Alston & What Makes Her Different
Alison Alston Lodestone Real Estate by eXp Realty in Charlotte. Before real estate, she spent years as a Director of Development in the private school sector. That meant cultivating donors for eighteen months on average before ever seeing a gift close.
“An average donation back when I was in the business was roughly 18 months from introduction to closing a major gift, 18 months. So you really need to be great at your follow-up. You have to have a system in place, and it needs to be consistent.”
Who Is Alison Alston & What Makes Her Different
Alison Alston Lodestone Real Estate by eXp Realty in Charlotte. Before real estate, she spent years as a Director of Development in the private school sector. That meant cultivating donors for eighteen months on average before ever seeing a gift close.
“An average donation back when I was in the business was roughly 18 months from introduction to closing a major gift, 18 months. So you really need to be great at your follow-up. You have to have a system in place, and it needs to be consistent.”
That nonprofit discipline translated directly into real estate. She brought that same patience to the relocation business, visiting offices monthly with cheap Pinterest gifts while earning nothing. Six months passed before she got a single bite. Then the phone started ringing.
Growing Up in Real Estate — The Foundation
Alison's real estate instincts started in childhood. Her father, a retired contractor, and her mother, an unofficial interior designer, bought properties constantly.
“My dad is a retired contractor, and my mom was the unofficial interior designer. Growing up, they would buy properties, fix them up, turn them into long-term rentals, vacation rentals, or move into them for two years and then sell them. I remember getting to a point where I hated going to open houses. And now I’m the one saying let’s go to another open house.”
That upbringing gave her a genuine understanding of construction and renovation. As she described it, she watched her parents treat properties as long-term assets rather than quick commissions. That mindset stuck.
The Power of Patience — Why Most Agents Quit Too Early
When Alison got licensed in February 2017, she did not expect overnight success.
“I would go around every single month and do a little ‘Popeye’ with some cheesy thing I got off Pinterest that was super cheap because I was making $0 then. And it took six months before I even got a bite.”
Most agents would have quit. Alison told me she kept going because she understood this business is a long game. Consistency eventually compounds. That patience built a relocation pipeline that sustained her for years.
Mentorship, Humility & Starting as a Cog in the Wheel
When Alison joined Lodestone, she made a counterintuitive request. She asked her mentor to treat her like a beginner.
“I remember saying to my mentor, ‘I just want to be a cog in the wheel. I don’t want to manage anything. You’re going to tell me exactly what to do so that I learn the fundamentals of North Carolina real estate, and I’m going to listen, and then I’m going to go do that.”
Starting a new career in her thirties meant swallowing pride. She admitted to me, "It was certainly difficult to start a brand new career in my thirties because you're used to knowing everything. So you have to have a lot of humility."
She watched a friend who started the same day close deals while she waited. Instead of spiraling, she stayed humble. For agents wondering how to find a real estate mentor, Alison's approach offers a blueprint—start as a learner, not a leader.
Agents looking for a proven framework for success would do well to emulate her willingness to start at the bottom and learn fundamentals first.
This is exactly what I tell agents I mentor—continuous growth is crucial for success in real estate.
What Alison Looks for in a Mentee
Now that Alison leads her own team, she screens potential mentees carefully. Her real estate team mentorship model focuses on three traits.
1. Kindness
“If you’re not a decent human being, I’m not going to deal with you. They’ve got to want it for the right reasons — actually putting the client first at all times, even if it means a hit to you.”
2. Coachability
“If the ‘excuse-saurus’ comes out and they tell me all the reasons why everyone else caused them to fail, I’m like, this is not going to work because you’re not coachable.”
3. Willingness to Fail
“You’re going to get kicked in the teeth a lot in this business. It’s brutal. You’ve got to be willing to fail and fail fast.”
Failure is guaranteed. She made it clear that the only question is whether agents learn from it. The agents featured in our success stories all share this trait.
The Biggest Mistakes Agents Make
1. No Systems
“They’re just flying by the seat of their pants. I call it shiny object syndrome. There’s no plan in place. They don’t have clear goals. They don’t write them down. They don’t set up systems for success.”
Shiny object syndrome in real estate kills careers. Without real estate agent systems and processes, agents chase everything and catch nothing.
The median annual wage for real estate agents was $52,030 in 2023, reflecting how few build sustainable businesses. Those earning more have systems in place, unlike those chasing trends.
2. Confusing Busy With Productive
“They spent the entire day working. And then you sit down, and maybe 10% of it was actually income-producing activities. The other 90% was fluff.”
This is the classic trap of real estate agent productivity vs busy work. As Alison pointed out, answering emails and organizing files puts no money in the bank.
The 2-Hour Rule — Daily Lead Generation Discipline
“Figure out what consistent time — minimum of two hours every single day — can I spend doing lead generation? And block that out. Non-negotiable.”
This is lead generation time blocking for agents at its simplest. Most agents resist because results are not immediate. Alison explained she pushes anyway because feast-or-famine cycles destroy momentum.
Two hours daily beats ten hours once a week.
Handling the First Commission High
“I used to fight my agents on this, and now I let them spiral on the first one. Then we sit down, and I ask, what were the activities that led to that transaction? Let’s repeat those and then let’s do it on steroids.”
The lesson sticks better when agents learn it themselves. She told me she just makes sure they do not stay stuck.
Burnout — The Wake-Up Call
For five years, Alison worked 24/7. Always available. Always pushing.
Then her body stopped cooperating.
“I used to work 24/7 and thought I was superwoman. About five years in, I realized I could not. I got diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and took almost three months off.”
This is where understanding how to avoid burnout in real estate becomes personal. She shared with me she had to decide, "Am I going to keep going down this path and be number one, but probably kill myself getting there? Or find a way to enjoy both sides of life?"
Alison became one of thousands facing burnout as Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that housing affordability pressures intensify. Her experience shows why real estate agent burnout prevention is critical.
Setting Real Estate Boundaries Without Losing Business
If you want to know how to set boundaries with clients, start by clearly communicating your working hours.
“My hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM unless it is an emergency. And I clearly define what an emergency is.”
For listings, she reframed the conversation entirely.
“I don’t think it’s intelligent to make the largest financial decision of your life at 10 o’clock at night. We’ll review offers in the morning.”
She explained she tells sellers this upfront so they understand the reasoning behind her boundaries. Clients adapted. As Alison put it, the ones who would not adapt were probably not a good fit anyway.
She admits she has become very strict about Sundays and will not answer. "I'm gonna be honest, if it's on Sunday, I'm not answering." If a client moves on because she did not answer on the first ring, she is okay with that. She stresses to her agents that if people expect you to be available twenty-four seven, you have to decide what kind of agent you want to be.
Systems Create Freedom
During her time off, Alison rebuilt her operation. She realized one-on-one training consumed hours.
“I realized I was doing the same one-on-one lessons over and over. That’s not a great use of time. So we condensed it into group training so they can learn from each other.”
Closing coordinators handle paperwork so agents keep generating leads. Showing assistants cover weekends. Downtime matters.
She now keeps her calendar blocked through 2026. As she told me, "We design the career around the life we want." Systems are automated with AI and do not fall apart.
Designing a Career Around Life — Not the Other Way Around
“I realized I had to love the rest of my life too. If you want to be number one but it kills you getting there, what’s the point?”
Now she takes real vacations. Two weeks in France for her tenth anniversary. Regular trips with her sister's kids, who are her why.
She delegates and automates, grateful for her supportive team that ensures everything runs smoothly. At Take Action Realty Group, we prioritize community and client support.
Alison Alston Lodestone Real Estate proves you can design your career around your life, not the other way around. If you want to hear more conversations like this, visit the real estate podcast network to explore all our episodes.
Want to hear my entire conversation with Alison and gain real-world wisdom that no textbook can teach?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Alison Alston?
Alison Alston leads Lodestone Real Estate, a Charlotte NC real estate agent from the eXp Realty team. She transitioned from nonprofit development to real estate in 2017.
What is Lodestone Real Estate in Charlotte?
Lodestone Real Estate is a team powered by eXp Realty, serving the Charlotte market with an emphasis on systems and mentorship.
How long has Alison Alston been in real estate?
She started in February 2017, bringing nearly nine years of experience to her role as team leader and Charlotte real estate mentor.
What are the biggest mistakes new real estate agents make?
No systems, mistaking busy work for productivity, and abandoning lead generation after closing.
How many hours per day should agents spend on lead generation?
Two hours daily, blocked as non-negotiable.
How do you prevent burnout as a real estate agent?
Set clear hours, delegate non-income tasks, and schedule personal time first.
What traits make a good real estate mentee?
Kindness, coachability, and willingness to fail.
How do systems improve real estate productivity?
Systems eliminate decision fatigue and ensure consistency.
Should real estate agents work seven days a week?
Alison does not. She protects Sundays completely.
How do you set boundaries with clients?
Communicate hours upfront and explain why after-hours decisions harm clients.
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