Just Jump: How @BuyWithRey Built 80K Followers and Turned Instagram Into His #1 Lead Source

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Rafael Reyes shares the relentless action strategy that took him from 3K to 80K followers—and turned social media into real business

If you're on Instagram and you're in real estate, you need to be following @BuyWithRey.

Rafael Reyes's account is on fire. Over 80,000 followers. Listing videos that regularly hit hundreds of thousands of views. Creative content that balances funny, inspirational, educational, and aspirational all at once.

And here's the thing: Instagram isn't just a hobby for Rafael. It's his number one lead source.

In my latest X Factor Marketing conversation, Rafael pulled back the curtain on how he built his brand, how he creates content that converts, and why his entire strategy can be summed up in three words:

Post, post, post.

The Origin Story: From Project Housing to Real Estate

Rafael's journey didn't start with privilege or connections.

He grew up in project housing. His family was humble. His mom barely spoke English. His dad could only say: "Go out there. You got this, kid. Go figure it out."

Rafael was the oldest of four boys. He had to figure things out on his own.

For years, he worked for a major telecom company selling phones and tablets. He got his real estate license in 2017, but kept his 9-to-5. He became the "yes man"—doing free work, showing houses for free, saying yes to everything.

Then in November 2019, his father passed away at age 63.

The last thing his dad told him: "You got this."

Those words became everything to Rafael.

The Pivot: COVID, $27K, and "I Quit"

Fast forward to March 2020.

COVID hits. Rafael's telecom store closes—his only source of income, gone. Open houses? Can't do them. Property showings? People won't let you in.

So Rafael picked up his phone and started shooting videos for clients who couldn't visit properties in person.

His first three clients brought in $27,000.

He walked back into his 9-to-5, knocked on the door, and said: "I quit."

That's when it really started.

At the time, Rafael had 3,000 Instagram followers. But he had a strategy. And that strategy was beautifully, brutally simple:

Post, post, post, post.

Doesn't matter what it was. Just post.

The Growth Strategy: Action Creates Strategy

Here's what Rafael told me about growing from 3,000 to 80,000 followers:

"My strategy was super simple. Post, post, post, post. What happened next was interesting. I met more people that post. Somebody else connected with me. Hey, I do drones and I fly drones. Do you think we can post together?"

Collaboration wasn't even a feature on Instagram back then. But Rafael made it happen anyway.

He started doing walking home tours. His first one got 10,000 views—huge at the time.

He went from 3,000 to 6,000 followers. Then 6,000 to 10,000.

And he just kept going.

The lesson?

There IS magic in just posting. Action creates the strategy. Without action, the best strategy in the world won't matter.

As I told Rafael in our conversation: "If you just do it, the strategy and playbook will happen. The action will make the strategy appear."

The Content Creation Process

Rafael's listing videos are incredible. And they follow a clear formula:

1. The Listing Pitch

By the time Rafael shows up to a listing appointment, the seller has usually already seen his work. They're reaching out BECAUSE of his Instagram.

Other agents even ask him to promote their listings because they know his platform works.

2. Pre-Staging

Rafael coaches sellers on decluttering and removing personal items (especially photos) before filming. He has a stager who can fill empty spaces so nothing looks bare.

3. The 60-Second Formula

He picks the 3-4 best spots in the home to fly through. The video is 60 seconds or less because that's what social media demands.

4. The 3-Second Hook

This is critical: The first three seconds are the attention grabber.

Rafael isn't selling the house in those first three seconds. He's selling the CLICK. People haven't seen the property yet—he's just trying to stop the scroll.

5. Trending Music

He uses popular, trending songs. (There's a lot of Cardi B in there, as I noticed.)

6. Professional Team

He works with a drone pilot and media guide. Yes, it costs money. But as Rafael puts it: "It's better than paying Zillow $3,000 a month."

The Cardi B Story

One of my favorite stories from our conversation was about a unique, expensive listing Rafael promoted.

It was a Versace-themed home—beautiful, but very specific. The question was: Who's going to buy this?

Rafael shot a video. It went viral.

It got to a New England Patriots player. The player sent it to Cardi B.

Cardi B said: "I want that property."

All cash. Done.

The seller called Rafael: "Dude, she saw your video and she just said she's buying my house."

That's the power of creative, consistent content.

Going Global Through Instagram

Rafael's Instagram success has opened doors he never imagined.

Through eXp connections and his Instagram platform, he's now working internationally—Dominican Republic, Mexico, Tulum.

Manuel Furtado, Mexico's #1 eXp agent, invited Rafael to come promote properties. Hotels and developers are reaching out for collaborations.

Why? Because as Rafael said: "The page itself is currency."

Once you build a following, brands and agents will pay for access to your audience. That's social leverage.

"If you pay the flight, give me a hotel room, I'll promote your property on my page," Rafael explained. "People want to be on the page. They want more followers. That works."

The $100K Agent Playbook

Rafael has a system he calls the $100K Agent Playbook.

It's built on four pillars:

1. Cold calling

2. Mailers

3. Social media

4. Networking

The goal: Hit one house a month. That's 8 transactions a year, which equals approximately $100,000.

He breaks down how long to spend on each pillar, balancing business with family and life.

"Most agents struggle," Rafael said. "But as long as they follow the recipe, which I know works, they'll be okay."

The strategy is simple. The execution is everything.

Advice for Agents Building Their Brand

Rafael had powerful advice for agents who want to build their presence in 2026:

1. Make 2026 a Reset Year

"It doesn't matter where you were 10 years ago. It doesn't matter what you did 10 years ago. Start all over. See how far you can take it."

2. Stop Chasing Perfection

"Stop looking for perfection. You're never going to be perfect. Forget about perfect. Just do it."

3. Copy and Paste What Works

"Whatever you see that you can do, copy and paste it. A lot of agents say, 'But somebody else already did it.' Did YOU do it? No? Just do it. Doesn't matter. People that follow that person don't follow you."

4. Boost Your Confidence by Trying

"Some people are not confident on the screen, and it's because they don't try it. Just try it. See what happens. If you need help, let me know. We'll do a content day."

5. It'll Get Perfect Later

"Just shoot a video and post it. It'll get perfect later on. Don't worry about it."

The X Factor: Just Jump

When I asked Rafael what his X Factor is, he didn't hesitate:

"Jump."

"I jump into situations where I don't understand it," he explained. "And when I don't understand it, it makes me want to know more."

He jumped into eXp even though he was loyal to another brokerage. "If I didn't do that, it wouldn't have happened for me."

His philosophy is simple but powerful:

"Jump into it and stop worrying about what's going to happen next. You're either going to learn or you may fail—but you're going to learn. The next time you do it, you're going to do it differently."

"Jump into the pool. You don't know how to swim? You'll learn how to swim. You're not going to drown. Just jump."

My Takeaways

Listening to Rafael's story reminded me that success in this business—especially in content creation and personal branding—isn't about having the perfect plan.

It's about taking action.

Relentless, consistent, imperfect action.

Rafael didn't wait until he had it all figured out. He just started posting. He said yes to everything. He collaborated with anyone willing to work with him.

And when COVID shut down his world, he didn't freeze. He picked up his phone and started shooting videos.

That action—that willingness to just DO it—is what built his brand.

Here's what I want you to take away:

Stop waiting for the perfect strategy.Stop waiting for the right equipment.Stop waiting until you "figure it out."

Just post.

Post today. Post tomorrow. Post next week.

The action will create the strategy. The consistency will create the results.

And remember: It's better than paying Zillow $3,000 a month.

Listen to the full episode with Rafael Reyes (@BuyWithRey) here: 

And if you're not already following him on Instagram, go check out his page right now. You'll see exactly what relentless, creative action looks like.

Let’s grow,

Wendy

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