Your first year

**jimday1982** · 02-05-2007, 06:18 AM

How would you describe your first year as a real estate agent? A fresh new learning experience? A lesson in the school of hard knocks? What are some of the things that got you through your first year and helped to develop your future business? What would you recommend to those who are about to enter the field?

I think the answers to some of these questions will be extremely beneficial to us newbies and I can't wait to hear some of your responses! Hold nothing back on us!

**dohermst** · 02-08-2007, 02:14 PM

your best bet is to have a broker who you can call when you have a question. I did and it worked out great. I was part time for the last 5 years and am now full time...

my 1st deal was a listing, got an offer within a week or two right before christmas. After a couple of rounds of counters we were good to go. the 1st mistake was not getting a pest report prior to accepting the offer. one of the terms was we agreed to clear all section 1 items... came up to about $5~7k IIRC. Neither the seller or I had any idea it was going to be that much. the seller ended up doing most of the work himself and with a contractor that he knew.

My suggestion is hook up with a veteran and learn as much as you can. Know the contracts & paperwork inside & out and learn how to write them. If you have full time work, continue working full time & do RE part time until you feel that you know enough to make it full time.

HTH...

**Codythebest** · 02-08-2007, 04:46 PM

Hard prospecting from day one without quitting.
First listing after 6 months
First closing after 8 months
Expect something like that, but don't quit...
80% of new agent quit after 2 months...

**jimday1982** · 02-08-2007, 05:17 PM

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I know that a lot of people go into the profession with the best intentions and probably vow to not give up, but I've gone one step even further. Before I even begin my training, I'll have all my branding created (website included), a sphere of influence who knows I'll be in the business soon, and about a year's salary in the bank to draw on.

Best of all, mom and dad have agreed to put me up until I get the ball rolling

Thanks again for your input.

**dohermst** · 02-08-2007, 05:21 PM

sounds like your on the right track. having a years salary banked will also help as well as a roof over your head.

**ericbramlett** · 02-10-2007, 07:58 AM

If you have a good sphere of influence, you're halfway there. Find a referral marketing program & work that sphere - there are agents that have absolutely killed it their first year b/c they worked their sphere correctly.

**DEUCE** · 02-15-2007, 05:41 AM

All my business came from the internet, spend the TIME and money on a good website.

**jimday1982** · 02-15-2007, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by DEUCE

All my business came from the internet, spend the TIME and money on a good website.

Glad to hear that! I'm a web developer by trade so I've been putting A LOT of work into my website!

**FlaGal** · 02-17-2007, 06:21 AM

I'm hardly past my 2nd month and it's been frustrating so far. My area is saturated with agents and it's hard to find buyers. Seems everything is listed already.
Last week I was about to get a listing when another agent from my office snapped it right out of my hands. The client called me later explaining he didn't know his wife had promised the listing to the other agent. LOL, like he and his wife didn't talk about this. That's biz. I bet the other agent had a better presentation and if he threw in the fact that I don't have a single transaction under my belt...........well, of course they went with him instead. Not sure if he did mention it but again........that's biz.
It's not gonna throw me off track. Honestly, I thought it would but I'm like weed!

I'm in Florida and since we have tons of beautiful houses for sale I figured I would concentrate my efforts to finding baby boomers from up north relocating to the sunshine state.
I'm also working on expired listings where the owners have left FL to move back up north. They can't go FSBO, they sort of need an agent to list with. I'm banking on that fact and I have contacted them.
I'm a long time member of several non-real estate forums and that's kinda like my sphere of influence from up north.
I also speak fluent German and I know there are people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland moving to FL. Worth a try!

Other than that my 1 year is going well. I'm still excited about learning, I'm still excited to preview homes.