Once you’ve decided to join a top team or brokerage in your market, you need to identify one that will provide training and support to fast-track your growth.
Two of the most important goals for new agents are to hit double-digit sales and double-digit reviews as quickly as possible. Joining a team with systems in place is critical to your success.
This is where it pays to do your research. And this kind of research will involve interviewing the best teams and brokerages in your area—and asking the right questions.
Questions to Ask About New Agent Programs
When you start interviewing the teams in your area—say the top three teams in your market—ask these questions:
- What type of new agent program do they have?
- What does onboarding look like?
- What does daily training look like?
Weekly training with the team is not enough. It’s not going to provide enough support early on in your career.
Ask the same questions when it comes to brokerages. What you need when learning the ropes is not a playlist of online videos. Be upfront about this by asking, “What kind of daily training can I get on Zoom or in the office, so I can ask questions, role-play, and strategize?”
Also—
- What time does training start?
- Where is it?
- How can I show up?
These are questions you need clear answers to. And most teams have these answers ready. Most top teams are offering training right now because what you learned in real estate class is not enough.
Questions to Ask about Getting Leads
Once you have learned about training, ask about how you will gain your first clients:
- How will I receive leads?
- How many leads can I expect to get in any given month?
- How many agents have gone through your new agent program, received leads, and gotten double-digit sales and double-digit reviews in their first twelve months?
- How many agents on your team are doing 20+ transactions a year?
- Can you give me a list of all the agents and transactions they’re doing?
If you ask these questions and they’re not open to sharing, you probably don’t have a fully organized program.
But if they respond with a clearly outlined new agent program, onboarding process, what to expect in your first year, and success stories of agents on their team, you can start to feel comfortable that it’s a team willing to invest in your future.
No reward without risk
Once you’ve identified the right team or brokerage for you—and you’ve got your foot in the door—moving forward still involves risk.
The months ahead and the effort you put into your training and development as an agent will determine your success more than the quality and comprehensiveness of any training program.
This is not an industry that coddles its beginners. Either you’re all in, or you’re already out the door. Doing your research early and asking the right questions can only help you understand the costs of becoming a successful real estate agent, whatever you decide.
The best agents go in with their eyes wide open.
