You’re six months into your real estate career, you haven’t closed a single transaction, and you’re starting to wonder if you made a mistake. Before you throw in the towel, let’s have an honest conversation.
You did it!
You studied for weeks (maybe months), passed your real estate exam, joined a brokerage, ordered your business cards, had your professional headshot taken, and proudly announced your new career to the world.
You were EXCITED. Motivated. Ready to conquer the real estate world! Fast forward six months.
No closings. No commission checks. Maybe a few leads that went nowhere. Your savings account isn’t looking so great, and your friends and family have stopped asking how your new career is going.
And now that little voice in your head is getting louder. Am I cut out for this? Did I make a mistake? Should I just quit? First, I want you to know something.
You are NOT the only agent experiencing this.
In my years of working with new real estate agents, I’ve seen this scenario play out more times than I can count. I’ve watched agents enter this business with tremendous excitement, only to become discouraged when success doesn’t happen as quickly as they expected.
And I get it!
Real estate can be a tough business, especially when you’re just starting out. Add in a constantly changing housing market, affordability challenges, competition, and consumers who are hesitant to make a move, and building momentum can feel like an uphill battle.
But here’s what I want you to understand. Six months without a closing doesn’t necessarily mean you’re failing. But six months without consistent, intentional action is a problem. And THAT is what we’re going to talk about.
1. Let’s Start with an Honest Business Audit
Before you blame the market, interest rates, your brokerage, or anything else, I want you to take a good, hard look at what you’ve actually been doing for the past six months.
And I mean REALLY look. Ask yourself:
- How many meaningful real estate conversations am I having each week?
- How often am I following up with people in my database?
- Am I actively looking for opportunities to meet new people?
- How many open houses have I hosted?
- Am I practicing my skills and improving my knowledge?
- Am I attending training and, more importantly, IMPLEMENTING what I’ve learned?
- Have I asked my broker or mentor for help?
- Do I have a written business plan with specific activities and goals?
Now comes the uncomfortable question. Have you actually been working your real estate business, or have you just been waiting for your real estate business to happen?
Ouch. I know. But there’s a BIG difference. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Being busy does NOT mean you’re being productive.
You can spend hours designing Canva graphics, scrolling through real estate videos, organizing your files, and attending webinars. Those activities have their place, but they won’t necessarily generate your next client.
You need to have conversations, build relationships, and create opportunities. And you need to do it CONSISTENTLY.
2. Stop Waiting for Leads to Magically Appear
This one is HUGE. One of the biggest misconceptions new agents have is that once they get licensed, business will somehow start finding them.
Maybe their brokerage will hand them leads. Maybe friends and family will immediately start referring people. Maybe that Instagram post announcing their new career will result in a buyer consultation.
Could those things happen? Absolutely. Should you build your entire business plan around them? NO!
Hope is not a lead generation strategy. You have to be willing to put yourself out there. And no, that doesn’t mean constantly asking everyone you know if they’re ready to buy or sell a house.
Real estate is a RELATIONSHIP business. Start by reconnecting with people you already know. Call a friend you haven’t spoken with in a while. Invite someone to coffee. Attend a community event. Volunteer. Get involved with a local organization. Ask an experienced agent if you can host an open house for one of their listings.
And when you have those conversations, focus on the PERSON, not the transaction. People don’t want to feel like they’re just another potential commission check. They want genuine connections. They want someone they can trust. Remember, relationships create opportunities. Transactions are the result.
3. Stop Collecting Training. Start APPLYING It.
Oh, this is another one I see ALL THE TIME! An agent attends every class on the training calendar. They take notes, ask questions, and soak up information.
I LOVE that! But then I ask what they’ve implemented. Crickets.
Here’s the thing. You can attend every training session, read every real estate book, and listen to every podcast available. But if you aren’t putting that knowledge into practice, you won’t move forward. Knowledge without action doesn’t build a business.
Here’s my challenge. For every training session you attend, identify ONE thing you can implement immediately.
Learned about buyer consultations? Schedule time to practice one. Attended a class about your CRM? Go home and enter your contacts, organize them, and create a follow-up plan. Learned a new lead generation strategy? Put it on your calendar and DO IT.
And please, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Your broker, mentor, experienced agents, and brokerage leadership team should be resources you lean on. You’re NEW. You’re not expected to know everything. But you ARE expected to be willing to learn.
4. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Let me ask you something. What have you been avoiding?
Making phone calls? Attending networking events alone? Hosting your first open house? Asking someone for a referral? Practicing conversations because you’re afraid, you’ll sound inexperienced?
I have news for you. Growth doesn’t happen when you stay comfortable.
One thing I’ve noticed about agents who start building momentum is that they’re willing to do things that make them uncomfortable. They’re willing to make the call. They’re willing to walk into a room where they don’t know anyone. They’re willing to ask for help. They’re willing to hear “no” and keep going.
And believe me, you WILL hear no in this business. Rejection is part of real estate. So is disappointment. So is watching a potential client choose another agent. Don’t allow those experiences to convince you that you aren’t capable of succeeding. Learn from them. Make adjustments. Keep moving forward.
Confidence doesn’t magically appear when you receive your license. Confidence comes from preparation, practice, and experience. You have to be willing to put in the work to develop it.
5. Let’s Talk About Money
This is something I address in my book, Beyond the Sale, because I believe it’s one of the most important conversations aspiring agents need to have BEFORE entering this business.
Real estate is not a career that comes with a guaranteed paycheck. And unfortunately, the expenses don’t stop just because you haven’t closed a transaction.
Brokerage fees, association dues, MLS access, marketing expenses, technology, insurance, and other business costs can add up quickly. If you’re six months in without any income, you need to take an honest look at your financial situation.
How much longer can you realistically sustain your business without a closing? What expenses can you eliminate or reduce? Are you spending money on tools or lead generation services that aren’t producing results? Do you need to adjust your business model or maintain another source of income while you’re building your client base?
For some agents, exploring referral-only status or stepping back temporarily may make more financial sense than continuing to accumulate expenses. Make sure you understand the applicable state licensing requirements and brokerage policies before making that decision.
And please don’t fall into the trap of thinking that buying expensive leads, another coaching program, or some shiny new marketing platform will automatically solve your problems.
Sometimes the answer isn’t spending MORE money. Sometimes it’s getting better at the fundamentals. This is a business. You need to run it like one.
6. Your 30-Day Real Estate Business Reset
OK, enough talking.
Let’s put together a plan! If you’ve been licensed for six months and haven’t closed a transaction, I want you to commit to the next 30 days. Not another six months of hoping something changes.
Thirty days of intentional, focused action.
Here’s a suggested starting point. Adjust the numbers with your broker or mentor based on your schedule, experience, and local market.
Your Weekly Action Plan
Have 25 meaningful conversations.
That’s five conversations per weekday. Reach out to people you know, reconnect with past contacts, and build new relationships.
A meaningful conversation is a real exchange with another person, not just liking someone’s Facebook post.
Follow up with every active lead.
Review your database. Who have you spoken with in the past six months? Who might need information or guidance? Who asked you to check back later? Create appropriate follow-up reminders in your CRM.
Host at least one open house every weekend.
With the listing agent’s permission, use this opportunity to practice interacting with consumers, learn about the market, and potentially meet future clients.
Attend one relevant training session and implement what you learn.
Remember, attending isn’t the goal. Applying what you’ve learned is.
Practice your real estate conversations.
Work with your mentor or another experienced agent. Practice buyer consultations: explain your value, answer common questions, and discuss the buying or selling process.
Schedule one accountability check-in.
Meet with your mentor, broker, coach, or accountability partner. Review your activity, discuss obstacles, and identify where you can improve.
And don’t forget to track your results!
| Weekly Activity | Your Goal |
| Meaningful conversations | 25 |
| Open houses hosted | 1 |
| Training sessions implemented | 1 |
| Role-playing or skills practice | 2 sessions |
| Accountability meetings | 1 |
| Lead follow-ups | All active leads, as scheduled |
At the end of each week, review what happened.
Did those conversations create new connections? Did you schedule any consultations? Are you building a pipeline? Did you identify something you need to improve?
Because here’s something important. Your goal over the next 30 days isn’t necessarily to close a transaction. It’s to start creating the activities, habits, and opportunities that lead to transactions.
Real estate has a sales cycle. Conversations today may turn into clients months from now. But if you’re not planting seeds, you can’t expect anything to grow.
7. Surround Yourself with the Right People
You know that saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”? There’s a reason I love that concept. The people you surround yourself with matter.
If you’re constantly around agents who complain about the market, criticize their brokerage, and make excuses for why they aren’t succeeding, that negativity can eventually start influencing your mindset.
Instead, seek out agents who are actively building their businesses. Ask them questions.
What does their daily schedule look like? How do they generate business? What habits have helped them succeed? What mistakes did they make early in their careers?
And here’s another important piece of advice. Get in the room. Attend your brokerage meetings. Participate in training. Join industry events. Build relationships with other agents and professionals.
You do NOT have to figure everything out on your own.
One of my favorite parts of working in real estate leadership is watching agents support one another. I’ve seen experienced agents take newer agents under their wing, share their knowledge, and help them navigate situations they’ve never encountered before.
Those relationships can make a tremendous difference. But you have to SHOW UP and be willing to participate.
8. Know When to Adjust Your Plan
I want to be very clear about something. Not every new real estate agent is going to succeed. I wish that weren’t the case, but it’s reality.
This career requires discipline, patience, financial responsibility, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning and adapting. And sometimes, even when an agent works hard, their circumstances change.
Maybe the financial pressure is too great. Maybe their family responsibilities don’t allow them the flexibility clients need. Maybe they’ve discovered that the reality of the career is very different from what they expected.
That’s why taking an honest look at your situation matters. But before you decide this career isn’t for you, make sure you’ve truly given yourself an opportunity to succeed.
Have you built and followed a plan? Have you been consistent? Have you sought guidance? Have you adjusted what’s not working? Most importantly, are you willing and able to keep making the necessary changes?
You don’t need to blindly keep doing the same things and hope for different results. You need to evaluate, adjust, and take action.
One Final Thought: Your License Was the Beginning, Not the Finish Line
If you’ve been licensed for six months and haven’t closed a transaction, I know you’re frustrated. Maybe even embarrassed.
But I want you to remember why you started. Was it to build a better future for your family? Create more flexibility? Become your own boss? Help people accomplish one of the biggest goals of their lives?
Whatever your reason, reconnect with it. And then ask yourself a very important question.
Am I willing to do what it takes to turn this license into an actual business?
Because passing your exam was an accomplishment. But your license doesn’t create your success. Your actions do.
And no, I can’t promise that following this plan will result in a closing in 30 days. Nobody can honestly promise you that.
What I CAN tell you is that consistent action, meaningful relationships, strong skills, and a willingness to learn will put you in a much better position than sitting around waiting for something to happen.
Stop measuring your worth by the number of closings you’ve had. Start measuring your progress by the work you’re putting into building a sustainable business.
You can’t control everything happening in the real estate market. But you CAN control how you prepare, how you show up, and what you do next.
Six months. Zero closings. That doesn’t have to be the end of your real estate story.
But what happens next? That’s up to you.
Need More Guidance on Building Your Real Estate Career?
I wrote Beyond the Sale: Unlocking Your Full Potential as a New Real Estate Agent to help aspiring and newly licensed agents understand what it REALLY takes to build a successful and sustainable business.
From choosing the right brokerage and developing productive habits to building relationships, managing your business, and navigating the challenges of this career, my goal is to help you become the kind of real estate professional people know, like, trust, and remember.
Because getting your license isn’t the goal.
Launching a successful career is.
Learn more about my book HERE
Are you a newer agent struggling to gain momentum? What’s been your biggest challenge so far? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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