Contrary to the cliché, real estate is not all about glitter, glamour, or fast cars – it’s a tough, rejection-heavy, relationship-driven industry where success comes slowly through resilience and connection. Here are five things every newcomer should know before jumping headfirst into it.
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When Place Camp Hill lead agent Julia Doyle came back to Australia after having spent years overseas, the former lawyer was keen for a career change.
Finding herself at a crossroads, she stumbled upon real estate randomly through a friend who was an agent on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
“I was a lawyer before, and when we moved back, I could not really go back into law as a lot of firms had a freeze on hiring because of COVID-19.”
“I sort of looked around at what other things I could do, where I could apply a skillset that I had, and my friend encouraged me to try real estate. I tried it out, and I just loved it.”
What started as a way to “test it out” quickly became a full career shift, as she discovered she enjoyed the pace, people-focused work, and competitive nature of the industry.
“While you see people that have nice cars and fancy suits and all that, and it’s not about that at all. The work that goes in behind is not glamorous at all.”
“It’s a lot of phone calls and earning people’s trust, as it is very hard when you start to build up a client base, get repeat clients, and get referrals. It’s all about building a network of people who want to work with you. And that takes time.”
Here are the 5 things Doyle wished she knew before becoming an agent:
1. Your previous career will become your biggest advantage
According to Doyle, career switchers have an advantage in the real estate industry as they have multiple skills and a broader perspective that allows them to better connect with clients.
“For people changing careers, becoming a real estate agent is uncomfortable, but it forces you to be adaptable and resilient, and people connect more with authenticity and trust than with polished sales tactics.”
She said that she initially underestimated how much her legal background would actually help her in real estate.
Instead of starting from zero, she realised many of her existing skills translated directly into day-to-day agency work – particularly negotiation, structured communication, and handling pressure in high-stakes situations like deals and client interactions.
“The skills that I learned in law translated directly into real estate, like negotiation, communication, and working under pressure.”
Additionally, she said that those who have lived or worked overseas often bring stronger relational depth and adaptability when dealing with diverse communities.
“Having a different experience and a different background makes you really interesting, and it becomes your point of difference in a market that is very competitive.”
2. You will face heavy rejection and very little income at the start
While over the years the perception of real estate has been fast cars, glamour, and high-paying commissions, Doyle said one of the biggest reality shocks was how financially and emotionally tough the beginning actually was.
“You see people that have nice cars and fancy suits, and it’s not about that at all.”
“There is absolutely no money at the start. That’s really hard. It’s pretty much a commission job, and you have to work so hard to get going and build momentum. It takes a long time.”
Beyond money, she said that newcomers should learn to accept rejection as a constant early feature of the job.
While new agents often assume early effort leads to early wins, she said it was, in reality, a “thousand no’s for one yes” environment.
She said that repeated rejection, whether from buyers, sellers, or lost listings, forces agents to build emotional endurance quickly or risk burning out early.
3. Starting over builds resilience fast
According to Doyle, career switchers build resilience faster as restarting in a new industry is uncomfortable.
She said that real estate forced her to adapt quickly, learn on the job, and rebuild confidence from scratch, turning the discomfort into a growth accelerator.
“Starting over in a new country or a new city or an industry is uncomfortable, but it also forces you to become adaptable and resilient really quickly.”
In her experience, the early stages require constant adjustment, learning systems, understanding local markets, and developing confidence in client-facing situations without having full experience behind you.
“Over time, that pressure builds resilience and makes agents more capable of handling setbacks later in their career.”
4. Authenticity matters more than sales tactics
Additionally, Doyle urged newcomers to focus on the human side of the industry rather than money only.
She challenged the common misconception that real estate success has been driven by image, presentation, or aggressive sales techniques, as clients respond far more strongly to trust, relatability, and genuine connection.
“Clients connect more with authenticity and trust than polished sales tactics, shiny cars, and things like that.”
She said that many people enter real estate with “commission breath” or a focus on appearing successful, but this often backfires.
“Clients are highly sensitive to insincerity, and if an agent appears too transactional, it becomes difficult to build long-term relationships or generate repeat and referral business.”
Doyle said that to be successful, new agents should be present in their community and build familiarity over time rather than pushing for immediate results, which ultimately will create sustainable listings and a strong reputation.
5. Finding your niche early makes all the difference
Despite being one of the most difficult aspects of a new career, Doyle said that agents should find their niche as early as possible.
Early on, many agents try to replicate what top performers are doing, especially on social media or in prospecting, but she found that this often feels unnatural and unsustainable.
For her, clarity came through experimentation as she initially lost listings because she lacked experience in some specific segments, such as large developments.
Instead, she switched gears and focused on smaller developments and eventually built confidence and expertise in that space.
“Fake it until you make it. I even described myself as a specialist in that area even before gaining traction.”
She also emphasises that a niche was not just about property type but also about personality and presentation.
“I leaned into a more casual, approachable style rather than a traditional polished agent image, which helps clients understand exactly who they’re dealing with, as what they see is what they get.”
“New agents need to test, fail, adjust, and eventually double down on what feels natural, rather than forcing a version of success that doesn’t fit them,” she concluded.
Interested in becoming a real estate or buyer’s agent? Join REB’s New Agent Academy.
One of the industry’s key education and networking events, it connects early-career agents with some of Australia’s top performers, offering real-world insights to help fast-track your success.
Whether you’re breaking into the industry, building momentum in your first few years, or looking to sharpen your edge in a competitive market, the academy is designed to give you the tools to get ahead.
To secure your free tickets to the REB New Agent Academy, click here.
The REB New Agent Academy will be held in Brisbane on 28 May, Melbourne on 5 June, and Sydney on 12 June.
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