Real estate agent
How to start & grow your business as a real estate agent.
Launch your real estate career: get licensed, hang under a broker, and pick a farm area, then build a lead pipeline and close buyer and seller deals.
Is becoming a real estate agent right for you?
A real estate agent runs a commission business with a low cost to enter and a high ceiling. You hang your license with a broker, but the book of business is yours. A handful of closings a month can outpace most salaried work, and the agents who win build a personal brand and a steady flow of leads.
It suits a licensed salesperson (not a broker) who can prospect and follow up. The hard part is rarely showing homes. It is getting found locally, capturing buyer and seller leads, and staying top of mind with your sphere so the referrals keep coming. The roadmap below covers each step.
- A few thousand dollars Startup cost No office: pre-license course and exam, MLS dues, E&O, and a website
- Varies widely Earning potential Commission only; the first two years are usually lean
- Required Licensing State salesperson license, hung under a broker, plus E&O
- Commission Income A share of each sale, split with your brokerage
Your roadmap from $0 to open
The order to actually do this in. Each step links a deep-dive guide.
- Plan the business The numbers, your target market and price band, and a launch sequence before you spend a dollar. We build your plan with you. Create your business plan →
- Get licensed & hang your license Pass the salesperson exam, pick a sponsoring broker, and bind errors & omissions insurance before your first showing.
- Set up your tools Board and MLS membership, a simple CRM, signage and headshots, and the basics of a brand.
- Launch a website that captures leads Where local buyers and sellers find you and request a call instead of going to a portal. We build high-converting agent sites. Get your website →
- Win your first clients Work your sphere, get a Google Business Profile and reviews, and rank for "real estate agent near me".
- Build a brand & scale Stay top of mind to earn referrals, then add a buyer's agent or assistant to grow past your own hours.
Want help with the actual work?
Our guides show you how to do it yourself. These are the things we do for owners who'd rather have it done.
- Web Design & Development A website that books work, not one that wins awards. See what's included →
- Advertising & Campaigns Turn a budget into booked jobs, not impressions. See what's included →
- Search Engine Optimization Own the searches your customers already make. See what's included →
- Brand Strategy Decide what you stand for before you spend a dollar on ads. See what's included →
- UX & Customer Experience Make it easier to buy. Most sites are not. See what's included →
Don't reinvent the wheel.
Copy what works.
We build your website for you in 7 days. You own all of it, and most changes go live within 24 hours.
Get Your Website →Common questions about real estate agents
The questions people ask us most before they start.
How much does it cost to become a real estate agent?
Less than almost any business, because you hang your license with a broker and skip the office. You pay for the pre-license course and exam, board and MLS dues, errors & omissions insurance, basic marketing, and a website. E&O commonly runs $500–$2,000 a year per agent and MLS plus association dues $600–$1,800, so budget them as yearly costs.
How much can a real estate agent make?
It is commission, so it ranges widely, and the first couple of years are usually lean while you build a pipeline: many new agents earn far less than they expect. Consistent producers with a repeatable lead source do much better, and your split with the broker decides how much of each commission you keep. Your lead flow and follow-up decide it.
Do I need a license to sell real estate?
Yes. You need a state salesperson license and you have to hang it under a sponsoring broker, plus errors & omissions insurance and MLS access. A broker license is a separate, later step you do not need to start.
How do I get my first clients as a new agent?
Work your sphere of influence first, then add local visibility: a Google Business Profile, reviews, and a site that ranks for "real estate agent + your city" and captures buyer and seller leads instead of sending them to Zillow.
How do agent commission splits work?
You share each commission with your brokerage based on your split and cap. Newer agents start at a lower split; as you produce, the split improves or you cap and keep more. It is the main number to weigh when you pick a brokerage.
How do I grow from a solo agent to a team?
Build a lead engine and a personal brand that wins listings, then bring on a buyer's agent or an assistant to handle volume you can no longer cover yourself. The growth guide breaks down the sequence.