February is New Agent Month at Inman. Follow along as we go deeper on the tools, tech and tips you’ll need to survive and thrive in 2024. For curated content crafted just for first-year agents, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Basics.
My real estate career path is a bit untraditional: I started as an assistant in a busy brokerage in Florida, mostly because I needed a job, not because I had any great interest in real estate. But guess what? I discovered I loved the industry and that I was good at it.
Fast forward 26 years to today, and I am leading an iconic, trailblazing brand. One thing that’s different about me is that I’m not leading from the top, I’m leading from the front lines.
I’m a hands-on kind of guy and feel strongly that I can make an impact at the agent level. After all, that’s where the magic happens in this industry.
To that end, I lead ERA agent learning sessions and masterminds in person and on the road, and we held ERA’s first, virtual national sales event for agents last fall.
So, when I was asked about my top tips for new agents, I was really excited. From in front of the classroom, conference room or stage, it’s easy to spot the newcomers. They are so eager to learn as they try to navigate the road to success in real estate.
And while some of today’s new agents believe they have entered the business at a sub-optimal time because of market conditions, I have a different view. This is a great time for new agents because they are entering the business on relatively equal footing with other agents. They didn’t develop bad habits when there were more than 16.8 million home sales between 2020 and 2022, the greatest three-year run since 2005-2007.
Many have entered the business with a robust sphere of influence cultivated through their use of social media and technology.