How Long Does It Take to Start Making Money as a Real Estate Agent? (2024)

Please note that the Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS) has been deprecated and is no longer recommended for use in MLS/IDX integration. Consumers are advised to use the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Web API, which provides a more efficient and secure way of accessing MLS/IDX data. We strongly encourage all users to transition to RESO Web API for a better and more reliable experience. Learn more

It can take about six months to start making money as a real estate agent. Everyone is different, but six months is around the time many agents make their first sale. To start making consistent money, you should plan for about a year. To make a profit, you should plan for up to 18 months.

Real estate agents make money by selling marketing, legal, negotiation, and other services to those involved in a real estate transaction. They usually collect a commission for these services as a percentage of the property’s final sales price. Commissions make up virtually all of a real estate agent’s revenue, so when they start making money depends on when they start making sales.

While it does not require lengthy and expensive degrees to become a real estate agent, it can take a while to get established in the industry. New agents generally have few contacts for leads. They may not be seasoned marketers. They also probably have not yet achieved high page rank.

These challenges can prevent agents from developing leads and closing sales immediately upon entering the industry. Once a sale seems likely, it can take several weeks to more than a month to close it. This too delays revenue.

Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help speed the adjustment period. Here are four tips to help you start making money sooner as a new real estate agent.

1. Organic Listings

Organic listings are those that are hosted natively on your site. They are indexed by search engines and appear in the results. By committing to organic listings from day one, your website will generate the maximum SEO output to help you rank highly online and generate new leads.

2. Local Content

Portals dominate online search results. But their content is a mile wide and an inch deep. New real estate agents can out compete portals by leveraging their local expertise. By involving yourself deeply in your community and generating content packed with local knowledge, you can out nypass portals and generate more traffic.

3. Develop a Niche

New agents need to distinguish themselves in the market. They can do this by narrowing their business focus and carving out a niche. You cannot be the best at everything until you are the best at one thing. Choose a niche based on location, clientele or listing type and make it the focus of your marketing.

4. Find a Mentor

Going it alone is difficult in any profession. By finding a mentor, you can get the advice you need to begin your career on the right foot. If you have clear goals and a strong work ethic people will be willing to help you.

So now you know how long it takes to start making money as a real estate agent. If you find yourself slipping from this timeline, don’t worry. Everyone’s path is different. And if you really can’t seem to get the sales you need, you can always join a team.

For more real estate blogs from Realtyna, check out How to Develop Ideas and Generate Traffic for Your Real Estate Blog and Where Do Real Estate Agents Make the Most Money?