Building on Inman’s popular newsletter for first-year agents, The Basics, February is New Agent Month. Pick up the tools, tech and tips needed to survive and thrive in 2025 as a rookie real estate agent.
Pulse is a recurring column where we ask for readers’ takes on varying topics in a weekly survey and report back with our findings.
When you’re starting something new, it’s easy to feel nervous and overwhelmed as you’re learning the ropes. We all start somewhere, and it can take a while to feel confident and in control of a new situation.
When it comes to real estate, we wanted to know: What was the moment you went from newbie to full-fledged real estate agent? Was it when you got your first listing? When you hit a certain price point? When you signed on the dotted line at your first brokerage? Was it when someone referred you to a friend or when that first commission check cleared? Here’s what you said:
- A year and a half in, I repped a buyer and the seller was repped by the office manager of another brokerage. She was so impressed by my handling of the transaction that she tried to recruit me to join her brokerage.
- It was when I reached $10 million in annual sales and qualified for the Top Producers Council at my association. I felt like an imposter at my first meeting, but five years later I have done deals with many of my fellow members, and I am well respected by them.
- When past clients and my SOI begin to drive the majority of my business
- When I started to get referrals from past clients. I knew I had really made it when I started to get repeat business (past clients selling again; referrals from other clients). But what really stood out to tell me I’d made it as an agent was when I started to get referrals from clients.
- When I won Rookie of the Year for our company the first full year I was licensed. I had received agent of the month a couple of months in a row, so I was feeling confident, but it wasn’t until the surprise announcement that I won Rookie of the Year a few months later that I knew I made it. That was 21+ years ago and still going strong.
- I got into real estate, at almost 60 years. I would say that I realized “I knew I made it” when I didn’t quit when things got difficult; when things changed, when things weren’t coming easily, I didn’t quit. I kept going and I’m still going, still learning, still struggling at times. However, I enjoy most every minute of it, and I plan on doing it for many more years to come.
- When I got my first listing within a few months of getting my license
Editor’s note: These responses were given anonymously and, therefore, are not attributed to anyone specifically. Responses were also edited for grammar and clarity. Inman doesn’t endorse any specific method and regulations may vary from state to state.
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