If I Were Starting in Real Estate Today

I grew my last company from day one—just me with a license and ambition—to selling over $2 billion a year with 600+ agents.

If I were starting a real estate business from scratch today, here’s exactly what I would do.

The biggest mistake I see from new agents is not having a plan for navigating the trade-offs on which their success will be built.

Success in real estate, like life itself, is predicated on sacrifice. Want to make an accomplished real estate agent laugh as a new agent? Tell them, with a big smile on your face, I got into real estate to be my own boss and set my own schedule.

Here’s the thing, though… You can have everything in life you want, but you can’t have it all at once, and you have to follow a plan that includes making hard choices.

Your vision for success will have two components: personal and business.

Your identity is going to change

Most agents jump straight into “I want to make six figures” and assume that once they do, the rest of their life will fall (or for some, stay) in line.

If you start there—chasing commission checks without a clear vision for what success actually looks like—you’ll build a business that consumes your life instead of enhancing it.

What makes real estate different from many careers, though, is that, for you to find success, it needs to be a significant part of your identity.

You can’t be a “secret agent” and succeed. Your business will demand mental and emotional energy. It will require visibility, consistency, and commitment.

That’s not a bad thing—but you need a plan for it.

Before your first open house, before your first client call, spell out your non-negotiables

You’re getting into real estate to make money so you can support what matters most, but you need a plan to keep those priorities honored once your identity has shifted.

If you’re not super diligent with this part, you’re likely to shift your goals right before that “perfect life” winds up in your hands.

Define your vision first. Then build a business that serves it.

Your business will be built on relevant conversations with people about real estate.

You’ll start by working your sphere of influence—people who know, like, and trust you. That’s important. But here’s the challenge:

Even if you’ve known these people your whole life, they’ve known you as their friend, their hairdresser, a parent in the carpool line… They haven’t known you as a real estate agent.

Your job is to show them—with integrity and professionalism—that you’re not just someone who “got into real estate.” You’re someone who has a plan to provide clients with exceptional service.

The easiest way to do that?

Lean heavily on the brokerage or team you affiliated with.

“I made a career change. I met this incredible team of agents, and I was blown away by the work they do. They asked me to join, and I’m not doing this solo—I’m backed by people who’ve been operating at the highest level for years.”

That affiliation builds instant credibility.

But here’s the thing: Getting referrals from friends and acquaintances takes time. You need to be working with likely buyers and sellers as soon as possible.

And the best way to do that? Open houses.

When I started my company in 2002, I held an open house every Saturday and every Sunday. From the beginning, I held them from 10 am to 6 pm.

Why? Because before I had clients to show homes to, I needed to meet them!

If I were starting today, I’d do the same thing.

Here’s my commitment:

The math:

A qualified buyer or seller should transact within about four months. Even with a conservative 25% close rate, if I’m consistently meeting new prospects, I’ll build a sustainable pipeline.

Why Open Houses work:

Someone walks into an open house with a question about the property. They’re not expecting to meet their dream agent, but they’re open to conversation.

Your job as a new agent is simple: Have as many of these relevant conversations as possible until you’re busier than you know what to do with.

Finding Open Houses:

Until you have your own listings, you’ll need to network with other agents to hold their available homes open. Most listing agents appreciate the help, especially on weekends. Build those relationships early.

Each open house isn’t just a few hours sitting in a house waiting for people to walk in. It’s an opportunity to create content, build visibility, and establish yourself in a neighborhood.

Here’s how I’d leverage every open house:

Social Media (at least 3 posts per open house):

Neighborhood Marketing:

The goal:

Every open house generates multiple pieces of content and visibility. You’re not passively waiting for business. You’re actively marketing yourself as THE agent in that neighborhood.

My rule: If I’m not showing 5 houses to clients in a day, I’m previewing 5 houses.

Why? Because knowledge = credibility = relevance!

The more homes you’ve seen, the better you can serve clients. People want to work with agents who actually KNOW the inventory—not agents who are seeing properties for the first time alongside their buyers.

How to do it right:

What do subdivisions, Elementary School PTAs, and church groups have in common? Many of them have a go-to real estate agent who helps members buy and sell.

Harness this power. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Pick your geographic area and/or group to market to and own it.

What I’d post consistently:

The key: Market to a NICHE. Become known as THE agent, not just “a real estate agent.”

Here’s the thing: This playbook works. I know because, with the exception of social media, it’s how I built my business in 2002, and it’s still the most effective strategy for new agents today.

But here’s what I’d do differently now:

I’d track my activity from day one.

Not just transactions closed. Not just commission earned.

I’d track:

Because the goal isn’t just to build a successful business. It’s to build a business that enhances the life you want to live.

When I built my brokerage, I was “decent” at balancing work and life—present, but optimized for efficiency. Always mentally halfway at work.

What I’m aiming for now—and what I help agents build through Balanced Busy—is true balance. The kind of presence that requires intentionality. The kind that doesn’t come naturally to driven, ambitious people.

You can have both. A thriving business AND a life you love.

But you have to plan for it from day one.

Ready to build a real estate business that works for your life?

Create your free business plan and start tracking what matters: balancedbusy.com

Let’s make your first year in real estate your best year—in business AND in life.