Join One Dream Realty Group

Borrow other people's buyers and sellers until you have your own. Hold open houses for agents on your team every weekend, tell everyone you know you're licensed, and work the leads your team already has instead of buying them.

When Dustin started in real estate, he held open houses every Saturday and Sunday and told his whole sphere he was licensed. He put about 20 homes under contract in his first year. Open houses work for new agents because the listing agent already paid for the traffic; your job is to meet buyers who don't have an agent yet. Pair that with daily follow-up on every name you collect. On our team, new agents get lead follow-up support and a CRM that is already set up.

Most new agents do better on a team for the first one to two years, because a team supplies training, leads, contract help and accountability you would otherwise pay for or learn the hard way.

The trade-off is the split: a team keeps part of your commission in exchange for that support. Going solo makes sense if you already have a strong sphere and a mentor. When you compare options, ask each team how many deals its first-year agents closed, who reviews your contracts, and what the split is in writing. For brokerage costs, eXp Realty's standard plan is an 80/20 split until a $16,000 annual cap (see the FAQ above for full fees). New eXp agents in the eXp Mentor Program work with a mentor on their first three transactions.

Lead with a reason for the call and a question, not a pitch. For example, to an expired listing: "I saw your home came off the market. Are you still planning to sell, or did your plans change?"

For a new online lead: "Hi, this is [name] with One Dream Realty Group. You were looking at a home on [street]. Is that one still on your list, or are you just starting to look?" For a FSBO: "Are you open to working with a buyer's agent if I bring you a qualified buyer?" The most common objection is "I already have an agent"; the right answer is "Great, I won't step on that. Good luck with the move." Practice scripts out loud with a partner before you dial, and ask a senior agent to listen to your calls.

Treat the open house as a lead event, not a showing. Promote it for a week before, knock on the nearest 50 doors to invite neighbors, use a sign-in that captures phone and email, and follow up with every visitor within 24 hours.

Neighbors are often future sellers, and buyers who walk in without an agent are your best prospects. Know the comparable sales in the neighborhood so you can answer "What are homes going for here?" with confidence. Bring a short list of other homes nearby in the same price range, because the buyer who doesn't love this house may love the next one you show them.

Yes, and you should, but you are responsible for every word. Check every fact AI writes against the listing data, and keep it within fair housing rules.

Fair housing law means you describe the property, not the people who should live there. Avoid phrases like "perfect for young families" or "great for singles." Give the AI tool real details (square footage, updates, lot, schools by name only if accurate) and ask it to write in plain language. For your bio, lead with why you got into real estate and what makes you different, such as military service, a second language or a neighborhood you know well.

Use one plain sentence for each, then show the buyer where it appears in their contract.

• Agency: "In Virginia I can represent you, and I'll explain in writing exactly who I work for before you sign anything."
• Earnest money: "A good-faith deposit held in escrow that shows the seller you're serious. It goes toward your purchase at closing."
• Contingencies: "Conditions that let you walk away or renegotiate, like the home inspection, appraisal or financing."
• Closing costs: "Lender, title and government fees due at closing, separate from your down payment. Your lender gives you the exact estimate."

Virginia's 30-hour post-license course covers agency law, contract writing and escrow, and is due within your first year.

Ask your broker or a senior agent to review every contract before it goes out. Don't rely on AI tools for state forms; their answers on Virginia contracts and addenda are often wrong.

A mistake in dates, contingencies or earnest money terms can cost your client money and expose you to liability. The fastest way to learn is to write your first several contracts with someone who checks them line by line. On our team, every transaction goes through a dedicated contract-to-close process.

Plan on roughly $1,500 to $3,000 in your first year, and budget for three to six months before your first commission arrives.

Typical first-year costs in Virginia (estimates; confirm current fees):

• 60-hour pre-license course: about $100 to $600
• State exam: $60 per attempt; fingerprinting: about $37 to $52
• DPOR license application: $244.50 for a two-year license (as of July 1, 2026)
• 30-hour post-license education: about $100 to $300, due within your first year
• REALTOR association dues (national, state and local): about $500 to $850 a year
• MLS access: about $36 to $60 a month; E&O insurance: about $300 to $500 a year

You're paid at closing, not at contract. A financed purchase usually closes about 30 to 45 days after the contract is signed, so a buyer you meet in month one may not pay you until month three or later.

Be useful before you sell. Post local market facts, new listings and neighborhood guides consistently, answer questions in local groups, and move conversations to a phone call quickly.

Join and participate in local groups for the areas you serve, and follow each group's rules about advertising. Short videos of homes and neighborhoods perform well. Paid portal leads like Zillow can work, but they cost money and need fast follow-up; many new agents get better results first from working team leads and open houses. Track where every lead comes from so you know what's worth your time.

Block your mornings for lead generation and follow-up, and protect that time like a closing appointment.

A simple starting schedule:

• 8:00 to 9:00: Review new listings and the market; plan the day
• 9:00 to 11:00: Calls, texts and follow-up with every lead and past contact
• 11:00 to 12:00: Training, role-play or shadowing a senior agent
• Afternoon: Showings, previews, appointments and content
• Weekends: Open houses

When there's "nothing to do," that is the time to call, preview homes and hold open houses. On our team, daily business huddles and Tuesday 11:00 AM office training keep new agents on schedule.