What to Expect in Your First Year of Business as a Real Estate Agent

Your first year in real estate may come with a lot of firsts... Your first lead, your first cold call, your first open house, your first sale, and your first listing, just to name a few! 

There will be ups and downs. 

You will learn a lot. You will create connections with your sphere and mentors. You may even make a few mistakes along the way. 

With new people becoming real estate agents every day, knowing what to expect during your first year as a real estate will help separate you from the rest. There are a few things that you can expect, and we're highlighting 5 of them for you today!

ONE

Learning Every Day

If you just passed your real estate exam and you're now looking for a job in real estate, congratulations! If you don't have previous experience with real estate, your first year in the business will consist of learning something new every day. Your real estate course and exam taught you a lot, but there's nothing quite like on-the-job training when it comes to gaining an understanding of the ins and outs of real estate. 

At Trueblood Real Estate, we offer ongoing training and mentorship so that you never feel like you're on your own while navigating through your new career.

TWO

Expanding Your Comfort Zone

Every new adventure comes with a little bit of discomfort as you expand your comfort zone - that's totally normal. 

As you gain experience in the real estate field throughout your first year as an agent, you'll become more comfortable with your new role and your responsibilities. Before that, you'll handle your first cold call to a lead, learn how to handle objections, host your first open house and navigate through negotiating your first deal. All of these experiences will expand your comfort zone and over time they'll become second nature.

THREE

Growing Your Relationships

Becoming a real estate agent means networking more than you're likely used to. Real estate is a relationship business. In fact, 42% of the typical agent's business comes from past clients or referrals, according to MyOutDesk. That means that as you begin to make your first deals, those deals may continue to bring in more business over the next several years. As you network with your friends, colleagues (if you're working a different job as you get started in real estate), and your family, it's essential to keep an open ear and offer your help if someone is thinking about buying or selling. 

You'll want your network on your social platforms to know that you're a real estate agent so that people who already trust you will know that they have someone who they can reach out to should they need an agent.  

FOUR

Becoming a Local Expert

Being a real estate agent means knowing the ins and outs of the areas where you want to help people buy and sell their homes. While you're showing homes, looking at comparative sales, and providing localized recommendations, it's essential that you know what you're talking about and that you're able to educate your clients on the area. 

We'd recommend eating at local restaurants, walking into local businesses and introducing yourself, and spending time driving around to gain an understanding of the roads and neighborhoods. Do research on schools in the area and information about our local governments and initiatives happening around us. There's a lot going on, and being a local expert will help ensure that you can give your clients the best advice.

FIVE

Embracing New Technology

Chances are before becoming a real estate agent you haven't used the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), Matterport virtual tours, or a CRM (customer relationship manager) software. During your first year as a real estate agent, you'll embrace new technology, become an expert in database organization, and navigate through the MLS to find listings for your clients. 

At Trueblood Real Estate, we embrace cutting-edge real estate technology and offer the latest and most advanced marketing technology right at your fingertips.