Getting your licence is the start line, not the finish. The habits you build in your first 90 days decide how quickly your business grows, so it's worth having a plan for them. Here's the one we'd give any new agent, month by month.
A quick note before we start: real estate is a regulated profession. In Alberta, your licence and conduct fall under the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA), and your brokerage has its own policies. When in doubt about a rule, ask your brokerage or check RECA directly.
Before day one: set yourself up
A few practical things make your first weeks smoother. Most take an afternoon.
- A professional headshot and a short bio you can use everywhere
- A business email and phone number you'll keep for years
- Your CRM set up, with your contacts imported
- Your social profiles updated to say you're in real estate, following your brokerage's advertising rules
- A simple budget for your first six months of costs
Month 1: Foundations
The goal this month is simple: know your tools and your process well enough that nothing surprises you in front of a client.
Learn the systems
- Your CRM: adding contacts, logging conversations and setting follow-up tasks
- The MLS® System: searching, saving searches for clients and reading a listing properly
- Your brokerage's paperwork and compliance steps, from offer to closing
Learn the conversations
Write and practise the handful of conversations you'll have every week: introducing yourself, booking an appointment, a first buyer meeting and handling the most common objections. Role-play them out loud until they sound like you.
Build your list
Write down everyone you know: friends, family, former colleagues, neighbours, people from your gym or community. Most new agents underestimate this list. Aim for at least 150 names and put them all in your CRM.
Month 2: Market and pipeline
Now turn knowledge into conversations.
Know your market
- Preview homes every week in the areas you want to work, so you can talk about them from experience.
- Learn the neighbourhoods: schools, amenities, commute routes and typical home styles.
- Follow what's listing and selling in your areas so you can explain the market in plain words.
Start your daily prospecting block
Block the same time every weekday for conversations. Work through your list: let people know you're in real estate, ask how they're doing and whether anyone they know is thinking of moving. Keep it personal, never pushy.
What to say to the people you know
Many new agents put off calling friends and family because they don't want to sound like a salesperson. You don't have to. A short, honest message works best, for example:
“Hi Sam, I wanted to let you know I've started my career in real estate. I'm not asking you to buy or sell anything. If you ever have a question about the market, or someone you know is thinking about a move, I'd love to help.”
Then follow up the way a friend would: remember what they told you, check in a few weeks later, and share something useful when it comes up.
Host or co-host open houses
Open houses are one of the best ways for a new agent to meet buyers. Prepare like it's an appointment: know the home, know the area and follow up with everyone you meet within a day.
Month 3: Appointments and momentum
This is where the first two months pay off.
- Shadow before you lead. Sit in on an experienced agent's buyer and listing appointments, then run your own with them in the room.
- Run your first appointments. Prepare a simple agenda, listen more than you talk and agree on clear next steps.
- Review every appointment. What went well? Where did the conversation stall? Fix one thing each time.
The numbers to track in your first 90 days
You won't have many closings to measure yet, so track the activity that leads to them. These are the numbers to review with your coach or broker each week.
| Number | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Conversations | Every client starts here; it's the number you control most. |
| People added to your CRM | Shows your network growing beyond the people you already know. |
| Follow-ups done | Most business comes from the second or third contact. |
| Homes previewed | Builds the market knowledge clients expect from you. |
| Appointments held | The clearest early sign that the pipeline is working. |
Your weekly rhythm
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Plan the week, prospecting block, follow-ups |
| Tuesday | Prospecting block, preview homes |
| Wednesday | Prospecting block, training or role-play |
| Thursday | Prospecting block, appointments |
| Friday | Follow-ups, review your numbers for the week |
| Weekend | Open houses and client showings |
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting to feel ready. Confidence comes from conversations, not from more preparation.
- Spending before earning. Hold off on expensive marketing until you know what works for you.
- Skipping follow-up. Most business comes from the second or third conversation, not the first.
- Going it alone. Ask questions early and often; experienced agents remember being new.
Plan for the income gap
New agents are usually paid on closing, and the first closings take time to arrive. Plan for that gap so money worries don't push you into rushed decisions:
- Know your monthly personal and business costs, and how many months you can cover.
- Keep business spending lean until you see which activities bring in clients.
- When the first commission arrives, set aside money for tax before anything else; an accountant can tell you how much.
Where to go from here
After 90 days you should have your systems in place, a growing list of conversations and your first appointments behind you. From there, it's about consistency. If you'd like a structured path through this, our eight-week onboarding follows the same stages, with a growth coach reviewing your progress every week.
