At 25, I was $80,000 in debt. I’d studied finance and couldn’t tell you where my paycheck went.
When I moved to Jacksonville, I started writing down every dollar I earned and every dollar I spent. I’ve done it every month since.
My first year in real estate, I had one goal. Pay off the $80,000. Every commission check went toward getting out of the hole. Twelve months later, the debt was gone.
It’s November, and agents are already saying they want to double their business next year. Okay. What are you doing Tuesday morning?
I’d write down three numbers for 2027. How much you want to keep, how many business conversations you’ll have each day, and the date you’ll sit down to see if you’re on pace.
How much do you need to keep?
Start with what your life actually costs. In my book, Get In to Get Out, I call that your MUST number. The worksheet is free on the book page.
Then pull up a closing statement. My first commission check was about half what I expected. I’d done the math on what I thought I was getting paid. I should’ve checked.
Say you want to make $150,000 after business expenses and before personal taxes. You keep $6,000 per closing after your split and deal expenses, and you spend another $30,000 a year running the business. You need 30 closings.
Use the take-home pay calculator to see what your brokerage keeps. Then look at your bank statements to see what it actually costs you to run the business.
How many conversations does that take?
That math used to look different. One deal for every 30 real business conversations meant 900 conversations for 30 closings. Give yourself 45 working weeks and you’re at 20 a week. On a five day week that is about 4 a day. That assumes 45 weeks times 5 days, which is 225 working days, and 900 divided by 225 is 4.
Today I’d plan on about 54 a day. The market has changed, and we have to change with it. Over those same 225 working days that is about 12,150 conversations. For the same 30 closings, that works out to about 1 closing for every 405 conversations, call it about 1 in 400. That is roughly 13.5 times as many conversations a day as the old 4.
Use your own conversion rate if you have it. If you don’t, pick a daily number you can hit and start keeping score. Count actual conversations with people who could buy, sell, or send you someone. Leaving 20 voicemails gets you zero.
When I bought back my time, I put those hours into more business conversations. That’s where my production came from.
Put the time on your calendar before the week fills up. If you’re going to give that hour away every time someone asks for a showing, plan on making the calls at a different hour. Put that one on the calendar too.
Pick a date
Brittany gave me 90 days to make real estate work. I’d give your 2027 plan its first review around the same point. Put March 31 on the calendar and write down your conversation count every Friday between now and then once the year starts.
When you sit down in March, look at what actually happened. If you planned for 54 conversations a day and averaged eight, start there. If you averaged 54 and barely got an appointment, look at who you’re calling and what you’re saying. And if you’ve got three deals closing in April, pull up the contracts before you decide the plan is broken.
Here’s what I’d put on a sticky note.
I’ll keep $_____ after business expenses in 2027.
I’ll have _____ real business conversations every day.
I’ll check my pace on _____.
There’ll be a housing crash headline by the time you finish your coffee Tuesday morning. You can read it after you make your calls.
If you’re an agent looking for a referral partner, apply here to Momentum’s referral program. We’re especially looking for a top agent in Miami who wants leads.
If you want help doing the math for your business, book a confidential strategy session.
FAQ
How should a real estate agent set goals for 2027?
Pick an income target after business expenses, a number of business conversations per day, and a date to check your pace. Write all of it down. Then work backward from your closings to the conversations it takes today.
What is a MUST number?
It’s what your life actually costs. I cover it in my book Get In to Get Out, and the worksheet is free on the book page.
How many conversations does an agent need today?
It depends on your conversion rate. In the example above, the old math was about 4 conversations a day for 30 closings. Today I’d plan on about 54 a day for that same goal. Use your own numbers if you have them.
How do I stay focused on my goals all year?
Keep the three numbers where you’ll see them every day, like a sticky note or your phone. Put the conversation time on your calendar before anything else gets the spot.
What if I’m behind pace?
Look at your conversation number first. If it’s low, that’s usually the problem. Fix your time blocks before you lower the goal.
Referral partners
Agents, apply to our referral program. We’re especially looking for a top agent in Miami who wants leads.