The numbers behind a slow start
| Group | Median transactions / yr | Median gross income |
|---|---|---|
| Agents with 2 years or less experience | 2 | $8,000 |
| All REALTORS® | 9 | $59,200 |
| Team-based agents | 32 | n/a |
| Briley Team agents (average) | 15+ closings | Ask us over coffee |
NAR figures are from the 2026 Member Profile (2025 activity). Transactions are closed sides.
Why good people struggle
1. Nobody trained them on the job they actually do
Pre-license school teaches law and contracts. It doesn't teach you how to start conversations, follow up, present a listing or handle objections. Those are skills, and skills need reps.
2. Nobody held them accountable
Most brokerages make money whether you close or not. "Call me if you need me" isn't support. Weekly numbers and a coach who notices are.
3. They spent their time on admin instead of clients
Paperwork, marketing, scheduling and file management eat the hours that should go to conversations.
4. They had no lead flow while they built a sphere
Your first deals usually come from opportunities somebody else generated. Without them, the runway runs out.
What a different setup looks like
- Leads from Zillow Preferred, Realtor.com and team marketing, worked first by ISAs and AI
- A transaction coordinator on every file and an operations manager behind you
- Five live training sessions every week, including role play and call night
- A full-time accountability coach who reviews your numbers one-on-one
- $75,000 a month in team marketing and a 5.0 rating across 2,886 Google reviews behind your name
Real before-and-afters
- Two years on another team at about $4M a year. With us, 67 homes and $25M in 18 months.
- Left another team after 2 months with no training. With us, 135 homes and $36M in 2.5 years.
- One sale in 6 months on another team. With us, 38 homes in the first year.
Names are withheld for privacy. We'll introduce you over coffee. Individual results vary and depend on effort.
Before you quit, get a second opinion
Book a confidential 30-minute audit. We'll look at your last 12 months and show you where the deals are hiding, whether you join us or not. Nobody at your current brokerage needs to know.
Common questions
Is it normal to have a slow first year in real estate?
Yes. NAR data shows agents with two years or less experience close a median of 2 transactions and earn a median of $8,000. A slow start is common; staying slow is usually a training and support problem.
What percentage of real estate agents quit?
Credible MLS-based analysis (RealTrends/Relitix, 2020) found 20% to 30% of licensees leave the business before their third anniversary, and close to 20% of licensees exit each year. The popular "87% fail in 5 years" figure has no verifiable source.
Should I join a real estate team or stay independent?
It depends on what you need. If you lack lead flow, training or time, a team that provides leads, admin support and coaching usually speeds you up. In NAR’s 2026 data, team-based agents had a median of 32 transaction sides versus 9 overall.
Will my current brokerage find out if I talk to you?
No. Conversations with The Briley Team are confidential.
- NAR, “Experienced REALTORS® anchor the industry…” (2026 Member Profile), nar.realtor/newsroom
- NAR Economists’ Outlook, “The Feature Sheet: 2026 Member Profile” (Aug 2026)
- NAR 2024 Member Profile Highlights (PDF), nar.realtor
- RealTrends, “Data: Real estate agent career progressions” (Nov 2020), analysis of Relitix MLS data