Most new agents don’t fail from lack of talent, but from skipping the foundations and underestimating how long it really takes to build momentum. Here is how to build a successful long-term career.
While closing deals has always been the ultimate goal, new agents rarely arrive there on day one; like any sales-led industry, there is a learning process and a hustle mentality.
According to OBrien Real Estate general manager Jason Mudford, before listings start to flow, new agents need to lay strong foundations, including market knowledge, prospecting, and confidence building.
"Whether they’re transitioning out of another industry or starting out brand new, it’s about getting the right foundations to be successful,” Mudford told REB.
“So starting out with basics is essential to build confidence and have good conversations with home sellers and buyers, which later on will turn into listings.”
He said that early success was built on structured mentorship, consistent training, and support from networks to keep agents motivated and accountable through the demanding first years.
“Along the way, agents must develop long-term habits around lead generation, nurturing relationships, and having effective, trust-building conversations, rather than chasing quick wins.”
Laying strong foundations and understanding the role of an agent
According to Mudford, before closing their first deals, agents needed a strong grasp of fundamentals, with a focus on communication, market knowledge, and structured processes to drive long-term consistency.
“The focus is on building confidence in client interactions and developing consistency rather than chasing early wins.”
Mudford said that communication has been sitting at the centre of real estate, with agents needing to become comfortable initiating and maintaining conversations with both buyers and sellers.
“Agents need to be curious and ensure that each conversation they have brings something to their clients.”
To ensure going beyond surface-level interactions, Mudford said new agents should build rapport, ask the right questions, and develop trust early.
Additionally, he said agents must develop strong market literacy and an understanding of local conditions, broader economic drivers that influence property decisions.
“New agents need to actually want to learn how to best help a client. So being obsessive around local knowledge, being obsessive around how to get properties best marketed and the best results”
“This level of insight allows agents to position themselves as informed professionals rather than transactional intermediaries.”
At the same time, Mudford said that new agents need to build consistency in prospecting, develop technical confidence in listing presentations, clearly articulate their value, and understand the difference between a soft appraisal and a formal listing process.
“This allows them to guide vendors through each stage with clarity and confidence, ensuring their client’s experience feels structured rather than guesswork.”
Leveraging mentorship, training, and structured support
While early-stage work could be “boring,” Mudford said that new agents should leverage their network’s mentorship and support to maintain high motivation, energy and consistency.
He said that the first three years were critical as coaching and structured learning helped new agents build confidence, avoid common mistakes, and develop the consistency required to sustain long-term performance.
To support early development, Mudford said that training has been central to the OBrien approach, with agents backed by regular in-office sessions and corporate training delivered both online and in person.
“You can never really go far on your own, even with discipline and so forth. New agents need that mentorship for long-term success.”
“All the people who are successful, they’ve always got some people behind them that actually support them to get to that point”
Building habits, relationships, and a long-term business mindset
Once foundational skills and structured support were in place, Mudford said new agents could start focusing on core skills and build disciplined habits for long-term consistency.
He said that real estate success came from prospecting, building a database of potential sellers, and nurturing those relationships over time.
“At the end of the day, the business is about people and relationships, not transactions.”
“Through relationships, agents will be front of mind when the time comes for clients to sell, as real estate is all about momentum.”
Mudford also highlighted that strong follow-up and genuine post-transaction engagement have been essential to sustaining momentum and generating repeated business.
“Real estate is not about one interaction; it’s about staying present and relevant long after the deal is done.”
Finally securing the first deal
When it comes to securing the first deal, Mudford said it was less about experience and more about preparation, opportunity, and existing relationships.
“Some people can get that first deal quite easily, and some people take a month to get that first deal. Sometimes just comes down to the right time, right place.”
He said that agents often made the mistake of starting from scratch rather than leveraging their personal networks, such as family, friends, and existing contacts.
“Agents don’t leverage their personal network when they start; instead, they try to make it on their own with the clients or the people they come across that they don’t have a relationship with.”
“Your personal network, your whole family, your uncles, your aunties, the friends you grew up with or past employment with want to help.”
Rather than chasing immediate listings, he said agents should focus on adding value to their network through insights or advice, as these relationships often become early referral sources.
Internally, Mudford stressed the importance of saying “yes” to every opportunity, including callbacks, appraisals, and shadowing experienced agents, as exposure accelerates learning.
He also noted that preparation was critical, with repetition, scripts, and observation preferred over “guessing” in real situations.
“No one’s going to go and do a marathon with no training.”
“Some people could read something once or twice and grasp it, while others took longer and required more rehearsal and mentoring.”
“But I think agents need to make sure they learn to avoid putting themselves in a position where they lose confidence, which is why you don’t go out and fully train.”
Ultimately, Mudford said that bringing experienced agents into early appointments helps reduce risk and maintain momentum, as setbacks can slow long-term progression.
“You want to start on a winning streak,” he concluded.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?Make Real Estate Business a preferred news source on Google.
