The Ultimate Playbook for a Beginner Realtor: Everything You Need To Do To Succeed + Workbook + Guide + Templates

The Ultimate Playbook for a Beginner Realtor: Everything You Need To Do To Succeed + Workbook + Guide + Templates

Let's start off with a few credentials. Bellamy House was founded by a full-time Realtor who accomplished the following feats:

• 2021: $100k+ in income in the first full year of working as a Realtor. Fresh out of college, 23 years old, in the midst of COVID. See: How To Make $100k Your First Year in Real Estate
• 2023: Achieved President's Circle Status for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS), ranking in the top 7% of BHHS agents globally. Licensed in 3 states. Luxury Home certified through BHHS.
• 2025: Running a full-time, independent agent business with the help of one assistant. The majority of sales are now coming from past clients and referrals from industry partners.

Succeeding in your first year in real estate does not have to be complicated. But it will be time-consuming. Your reward is a creative, flexible, and lucrative career in which you will be your own boss.

You will also be your own marketing head, accountant, customer service rep, and everything else. But don't worry about that now—now is the time to dream big and do some stretching!

The following playbook was created after years in the field, and is crafted to cut out unnecessary fluff and filler, because it was designed by someone who has already succeeded at the very tasks it outlines. Let's walk through some of the key points of the playbook, and you'll find links to download at the end of the article. Cheers!

Start With A Strong Foundation (Or The House Collapses)

We touch on this in the $100k In Year One article, but if you have just been licensed and have not yet chosen a brokerage, you need to put some serious thought into who you'll be hanging that license with.

It is very rare that a brokerage will not offer you a position with them. Most brokerages take anyone with a pulse. You are interviewing them, not the other way around.

Here is what you should look for in the brokerage you join:

• Large market share in your area
• A mix of new agents and successful, established ones
• A system to provide leads (even if referral fees apply)
• A physical office nearby that agents actively use
• Not primarily an “online-only” brokerage (unless you are highly confident and extroverted)
• Offers training and mentorship to new agents—get the details on what that entails!

Next, put some thought into how you want to operate, and talk it over with your new broker:

• Consider whether you want to work individually or join a team. Most large teams won’t invest the time to properly train new agents. A small, dedicated team can be a great fit if they’re truly willing to mentor you. My honest recommendation? Start out solo or with a small team. You’ll learn faster and build a business that’s truly yours.
• Start learning the backend right away. Your local MLS, Dotloop, DocuSign, ZipForms—familiarize yourself now with the programs you'll need. Do not hire an assistant or transaction coordinator yet—learn the contracts, paperwork, and systems yourself. The skills you gain by doing everything firsthand will serve you and your clients for the rest of your career.
• Make a plan for a schedule. Whether you're starting out part-time or going all in, create an outline schedule for yourself. What days will you be working in real estate? Which days are dedicated to marketing? To in-person activities? How many days per week will you aim for? Consider making a time-blocking schedule.

Complete a SWOT Analysis on Yourself

One of the best habits you can build as a new Realtor is learning to analyze yourself the same way you would a business. My coach recently pointed out that I have reached a point where I subconsciously perform a SWOT analysis on nearly everything I do—and she believes that habit has been a huge driver of my success.

A SWOT analysis is a simple framework to evaluate a business (or in this case, yourself) in four areas:

• Strengths—the skills and traits that give you an advantage
• Weaknesses—areas where you need improvement or support
• Opportunities—external factors you can leverage to grow your business
• Threats—external challenges that could hold you back

It’s a clear, honest way to understand where you stand and how to move forward strategically. Take your time working on this, dig deep, and be honest with yourself.

Here's an example of what your SWOT analysis might look like:

Beautiful! With this framework, you can now more clearly determine what lead sources may work best for you, the areas to improve, and more.

Write A Business Plan

Bellamy House already offers a very succinct, simple business plan for new Realtors Year One Business Plan. But the playbook outlined in this article is much more in-depth, so we recommend that you keep reading.

Your First Business Plan Should Include:

• Income Goal—Decide how much you want to make and calculate how many sales you’ll need based on average price, commission splits, and local market data.
• 1, 5, and 10-Year Goals—Write down where you want to be in one year, in five years, and in ten.
• Brand Foundation—Define your mission, values, and voice. Don’t worry about a logo yet—your brokerage’s brand will carry you for now.
• Lead Sources (“Spinning Plates”)—Choose 3–6 ways you’ll consistently generate business (social media, open houses, referrals, etc.) and outline how you’ll maintain them.
• Future Niche—Start considering what specialty you’d like to grow into, even if you’re not ready to commit.

This plan isn’t about perfection. It’s about clarity and direction—something most new agents don’t have when they start.

In our playbook for success, the business plan includes a few more components...

• Digital Coaching Task List—Everything you need to do to succeed–what to buy, what to learn, who to know, and what to do.
• SWOT Analysis — Honest assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Daily & Weekly Schedule—A realistic time-blocked plan for prospecting, marketing, and client work.

Understand the 4 Stages of Competence

The Four Stages of Competence (sometimes called the Conscious Competence Model), is a framework that explains how people move from not knowing about something to mastering it.

Unconscious Incompetence

• “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
• At this stage, you’re unaware of the skills or knowledge you’re missing. (Example: A brand-new agent doesn’t even realize how much contract law, sales skills, or negotiation they’ll need to learn.)

Conscious Incompetence

• “You know what you don’t know.”
• Now you’ve realized the gaps. It can feel overwhelming, but awareness is the first step to growth. (Example: After your first training, you suddenly see how much you need to practice scripts, learn forms, and understand financing.)

Conscious Competence

• “You know, but you have to think about it.”
• You’re developing the skills, but you still have to focus and be deliberate. (Example: You can answer most questions, but still have plenty of situations where you need assistance or review, or need a moment to think through your answers.)

Unconscious Competence

• “You know it so well, it’s second nature.”
• The skill becomes automatic. (Example: You can walk into a listing appointment, ask the right questions, and handle objections without overthinking.)

The Essential Things You Need To Do (And When To Do Them)

The playbook we've designed for you functions as part workbook, part digital coach. Each section features real-life examples, not just for instructional purposes, but ones that offer real strategy and value to your growing business.

Let's look at an example from the Business Plan section, where we provide several real strategies for lead generation, including an outline task and strategy outline for succeeding in them.

What’s in the Playbook?

• Digital Coaching Task Lists — step-by-step action plans that show you exactly what to focus on.
• Crucial Business-Building Actions — the non-negotiables every new Realtor needs, from setting up your CRM to creating your appointment packet.
• Guided Education Modules — digital coaching prompts, reflection questions, and recommended exercises to keep you on track.
• A Complete Business Plan Framework — income goals, branding, lead sources, and niche identification.
• Calendar Designs & Inspiration — ready-to-use layouts for time-blocking, recurring tasks, and long-term planning.
• Educational Materials & Resource Lists — curated recommendations, including Bellamy House tools, key growth areas, and industry books that every new agent should read.
• Two Versions of the Playbook — the complete 70+ page edition (with guide + workbook pages) and a streamlined workbook-only edition.
• High-Quality PDF Files — fully print-ready, so you can add them to a binder, or use digitally with a stylus and note-taking app. (No physical product, digital download.)

How to Download

The Ultimate Beginner Agent Playbook is included for all Bellamy House Members. Full Members can access the free download below, as well as access the entire suite of Bellamy House products. To become a Full Member, visit the membership page.

Don't want to become a Bellamy House Full Member? No problem, all of our products are available in our Etsy shop to non-members, a la carte! Use Promo Code RESILIENCE to get 25% off your Playbook. Bellamy House Shop

Full Members Can Download Below.