FOR NEW REAL ESTATE AGENTS
Most new agents get their first client from people who already know them. The work is simple but steady: reach out to about 25 people a week, have about 10 real conversations, and follow up on every one. Plan on 1 to 3 months to sign your first client and 3 to 6 months to get paid.
See the 4-week planStart once your license is active and you’ve joined a brokerage.
The numbers to aim for each week
These are our planning targets for a new agent working about 20 hours a week. They’re a rule of thumb from how new agents commonly build a business, not an official statistic. If you work full time, push them up; if you work part time around another job, cut them in half and expect it to take longer.
| Each week | Target | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Reach out | 25 people (5 a weekday) | A personal call, text, email or in-person chat with someone you know or met. Mass posts don’t count. |
| Real conversations | 10 | A back-and-forth where you learn whether they, or someone they know, may move in the next year. |
| Follow-ups | Every one, within 2 days | Send what you promised and set the next date. |
| Open houses | 1, if your broker has one for you | A 2–3 hour shift on a weekend. |
| Consultations | 1 every 1–2 weeks | A sit-down or call with someone who plans to buy or sell. |
How long until your first client
- First signed client: 1 to 3 months
- If you keep up about 10 conversations a week, roughly 100 conversations over 2 to 3 months usually turns up at least one person ready to buy or sell.
- First closing: 30 to 60 days after an accepted offer
- Buyers often look for several weeks before an offer is accepted. Then the loan, inspection and paperwork take another month or two.
- First paycheck: 3 to 6 months
- A signed client or accepted offer is not a commission payment. Allow for the time needed to complete the transaction, and keep business startup costs and household bills separate when planning your cash reserve.
Set up help from your broker first
Before you invite anyone to work with you, ask your broker three things: who will look over your first offer before it goes out, who you call if something goes wrong and they’re out, and which contract forms you’ll use. Practice a first meeting with them once.
Still choosing a brokerage? Read our guide to choosing a brokerage. In Florida, make sure you’ve finished the license activation step first.
Pick an area you can learn well and drive to easily, usually within 20 to 30 minutes of home. Learn the prices, the neighborhoods and the kinds of homes there. Don’t count on a busy market alone to bring you leads.
Your first 4 weeks
Week 1: Get ready and make your list
Write down everyone you know: family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, parents from school, people from church, the gym or clubs. Most new agents can list 100 to 200 names. Put them in the contact system your brokerage gives you, with a note on each person and a date to reach out.
Practice a buyer meeting and a seller meeting with your broker. You should be able to explain what you do, how you get paid and what happens next in a minute or two.
Week 2: Tell the people you know you’re an agent
Start reaching out, 5 people a day. Call or message each person yourself. Tell them you’re now an agent, ask how they’re doing, and offer to help if they or someone they know is thinking about moving. Don’t ask everyone for a referral right away.
Block an hour a day for replies and follow-ups. If you can only keep up with 15 people a week, do 15 well rather than 40 badly.
Week 3: Add one way to meet new people
Ask your broker for an open house you can host or help with. Other good options: answering calls at the office, or posting a short local market update for friends and neighbors. Pick one and stick with it for a month.
At an open house, know the home’s details, how to stay safe, and who to call with a question you can’t answer. Ask each visitor before you add them to your follow-up list.
Week 4: Follow up and set meetings
Go back to everyone who showed interest and do what you said you’d do: send the listings, the price estimate or the check-in. If someone is ready to buy or sell, book a meeting and use your brokerage’s agreement before you start the work.
Sit down with your broker and count: how many people you reached, how many real conversations you had, and how many meetings you booked. Keep doing what produced conversations. Fix your message before spending money on ads or leads.
What to say
For someone you already know:
“I’ve just joined [brokerage] in [area]. If you or anyone you know is thinking about buying or selling, I’d be glad to walk you through how it works. Want to grab coffee sometime?”
For a follow-up after a conversation:
“You mentioned [what they need]. I put together [what you promised]. Want to go over it on [day], or is another time better?”
Stick to people you know or who asked to hear from you. Before you call or text strangers, ask your broker about the office’s rules and the Do Not Call rules.
Your first client meeting
Ask about their goal, timing, budget and what kind of help they want. Explain what you do and how you get paid. Follow your broker’s process for the required disclosures and the written agreement.
Before you show homes to a buyer, you’ll usually need a signed buyer agreement. Your broker will give you the form. The National Association of Realtors has a plain guide to buyer agreements that explains what clients can negotiate. Walk your client through the terms before they sign.
Treat every client the same way and follow the fair housing rules in your ads and conversations. Being new is fine. Don’t make up experience, results or reviews.
After an offer is accepted
Before your first deal, have your broker walk you through a sample file from contract to closing. Know who tracks deadlines, who handles the paperwork and who you call about a missed deadline or a problem with the inspection.
Send client documents only through your brokerage’s secure system. If anyone emails new wire or payment instructions, call a number you already have to check before anyone sends money. When a client needs legal, loan or inspection advice, send them to the right professional.
Covered if a deal goes wrong?
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance pays if a client says your mistake cost them money. Many brokerages cover their agents. If yours doesn’t, or you want your own policy, you can get a quote online in a few minutes.
Don’t spend your first commission before closing day. Deals fall through. Our mortgage lock-in research shows why fewer owners are selling right now.
Your first-client checklist
Check off each item as you finish it, then print the list for your next meeting with your broker.
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Questions
How long does it take a new real estate agent to get a first client?
Plan on 1 to 3 months if you reach out to about 25 people a week. Getting paid takes longer: usually 3 to 6 months, because the commission comes at closing.
How many people should I contact each week?
About 25 personal calls, texts or chats, which should lead to about 10 real conversations. Part-time agents can start at half that.
Should I buy leads when I’m starting out?
Not in your first month. Start with people you know and open houses, which cost little. Once you know how many conversations it takes you to land a client, you can judge whether paid leads are worth it.
What if nobody I know is moving?
That’s normal. Ask them to keep you in mind for friends and family, then follow up every few months. Open houses help you meet people outside your circle.
Your next step
Book a practice meeting with your broker, block an hour a day for outreach, and send your first 5 messages today.
Go back to the full real estate agent guide if you still have licensing questions. You can also read about choosing a brokerage and real estate startup costs.