# How new real estate agents get referrals in their first year: a Mac plan

> New agents get few referrals because they have few past clients. Here is a plan to build referral business from people you know, on your Mac.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/for/realtors/problems/new-agent-referral-income-gap
Updated: 2026-11-06

New real estate agents get referrals from people who already trust them, and in the first year that trust is thin. Referrals and repeat business come from past clients, so you need a list before the work arrives. This page covers what the first year costs, why referrals are slow to start, and free habits that help you get your first names.

## Quick answer

- New agents get few referrals because referrals come from past clients, and a new agent starts with none.
- The National Association of REALTORS reports a 2025 median gross income of $8,000 for members with two years or less of experience.
- Start with people you already know. Put them in Apple Contacts and build a Smart List with File > New Smart List.
- Ask for one specific name, then follow up on a schedule you can keep. A spreadsheet is enough to start.
- Lazur can draft check-ins, dictate notes and set reminders. You still read, send and make the calls.

## What no referral business in early years costs you

- **Little income while the list is empty.** NAR's 2026 Member Profile reports a 2025 median gross income of $8,000 for members with two years or less of experience. For members with 16 or more years it was $88,500. NAR's 2025 trends article reported $8,100 for the two-year-or-less group, using 2024 data.
- **Pay that comes and goes.** BLS says earnings may be irregular, especially for beginners. It also says agents sometimes go weeks or months without a sale. A long gap with no income makes it hard to spend time on slow referral work.
- **Carrying the risk alone.** BLS reports that 54% of real estate sales agents are self-employed and earn most of their income from commissions. No employer covers the gap for you. A slow quarter lands on your own budget.
- **Wide gaps in what the field pays.** BLS reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $52,830 for real estate sales agents. The 10th percentile earned less than $32,970, and the 90th percentile earned more than $123,590. Early choices about referral work can shape where you land in that range.
- **Time lost to the wrong work.** Chasing every cold lead uses hours that could go to people who already know you. The sources here do not measure that trade-off, so treat it as a planning question, not a fact.

## Why it happens

1. **Referrals come from deals you have not made yet.** NAR reports that the typical REALTOR got 22% of business from referrals from past clients and customers. A new agent has few or no past clients, so the referral pipeline starts empty. That is a timing problem before it is a skill problem.
2. **Your network is not written down.** Many new agents plan to ask people they know, but they never list those people. Without a list, outreach depends on memory. Memory fades during a busy week, and the people you meant to call slip past.
3. **Partners need to see you work first.** Lenders, inspectors, attorneys and other agents tend to send business to people they trust. Trust builds through repeated contact, not one introduction. New agents often have not had time to show that yet.
4. **Asking directly feels awkward.** A vague request such as let me know if you hear of anything gets a vague answer. Asking directly can feel uncomfortable, so it is easy to skip. When you skip it, no names come back, and the habit never starts.
5. **Irregular income pushes short-term choices.** BLS says earnings may be irregular for beginners. When bills come due in a slow month, it is tempting to chase whatever deal is closest. That choice can crowd out the slower relationship work that builds referrals.

## How to fix it

- **Write every name down in Contacts.** Open Contacts and list everyone you know well enough to call. Put a simple group label on each person you want to contact. Then build a Smart List from that label with File > New Smart List so the list stays current.
- **Ask for one specific name.** Replace let me know if you hear of anything with a narrower ask. Try asking who they know that is thinking about buying or selling in the next year. One name is easier to give than a vague promise to keep an eye out.
- **Keep one tracker with dates.** Open Google Sheets and add Name, Last contact, Next contact and Ask made columns. Review the sheet once a week. The schedule matters more than the software you use to keep it.
- **Follow past clients on a fixed schedule.** After each closing, add a check-in date to your calendar. Send a short note at set points, such as a few months after the move. NAR's figures put repeat clients at 28% of the typical REALTOR's business, above referrals at 22%.
- **Stay in touch with people who see your deals.** Lenders, inspectors and attorneys see many transactions. A short note after each deal keeps you on their radar. Keep a note of what each partner needs from you, so the next message is easy to write.
- **Ask your broker for a monthly review.** Ask your broker who can look at your list and your wording with you each month. A second set of eyes catches weak asks early. Confirm what support your office offers, since programs differ by brokerage.
- **Review which asks worked each month.** Look at which asks produced a name and which did not. Change the wording of the asks that got nothing. Keep the wording that worked and stop using the rest, instead of guessing from memory.
- **Tell your list what you do now.** Send a short update to your list that says you are now working as an agent. Name the kind of client you help and the area you work in. Keep it plain, so people know who to send your way without a sales pitch.

## Why referrals are so hard to get in year one

Referrals come from people who have worked with you, or who know someone who did. That is the core problem. You need a finished deal before you have a referral source, and a new agent has very few finished deals. The National Association of REALTORS reports that the typical REALTOR got 22% of business from referrals. That figure comes from its 2026 Member Profile, which uses 2025 data. Repeat clients supplied 28%.

The same profile shows how far apart new and experienced agents are. Members with two years or less of experience had a median gross income of $8,000 in 2025. Members with 16 or more years had $88,500. Those are gross figures, so they come before expenses. The gap is a reason to build referral habits early, while your income is still thin.

- **$8,000** Median gross income in 2025 for NAR members with two years or less of experience ([source](https://www.nar.realtor/news/economists-outlook/the-feature-sheet-2026-member-profile))
- **$88,500** Median gross income in 2025 for NAR members with 16 or more years of experience ([source](https://www.nar.realtor/news/economists-outlook/the-feature-sheet-2026-member-profile))
- **22%** Share of business the typical REALTOR got from referrals from past clients and customers ([source](https://www.nar.realtor/news/economists-outlook/the-feature-sheet-2026-member-profile))

## What the first year costs you in money and time

The cost is not only low income. It is uncertainty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says earnings may be irregular, especially for beginners. It also says agents sometimes go weeks or months without a sale. A slow stretch is normal in this job, which makes it hard to plan your month. Referral work does not fix that by itself, but it gives you a pipeline you can plan around.

Pay varies widely across the field. BLS reports a May 2025 median annual wage of $52,830 for real estate sales agents. The 10th percentile earned less than $32,970, and the 90th percentile earned more than $123,590. Where you land depends on how much work you can bring in, and that takes time to build.

Most of this risk sits with you. BLS says 54% of real estate sales agents are self-employed, and agents earn most of their income from commissions. Nobody is paying you to wait for referrals to arrive. That makes a referral routine a business plan, not a nice extra.

## Why referral business is slow to start

- You have few past clients, and referrals come from past clients.
- Your network feels smaller than it is, so you never write those names down.
- Lenders and inspectors need to see you work before they send you business.
- Asking directly feels awkward, so you wait for names to come to you instead.
- Irregular income pushes you toward whatever deal is closest, not the slow relationship work.

> **What the research does not cover:** The sources I could open do not measure how long a new agent takes to get a first referral. They also do not test the habits in this page. The steps below are practical habits, not proven results.

None of these causes is a moral failing. Each one comes from how the business works. You cannot change how long it takes to build trust. You can change the names you write down, the asks you make, and the follow-ups you schedule.

![A real estate agent works at a laptop, planning outreach for referrals](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/new-agent-referral-income-gap/how-new-real-estate-agents-get-referrals-1-9d26cc.jpg)

## How to build a referral list from people you already know

Start with the people you already know, not with ads. Your Mac can hold that list. Apple's Contacts guide calls the feature a Smart List, and you create one with File > New Smart List. Smart Lists update on their own. Their members change only when you edit the criteria.

1. Open Contacts on your Mac.
2. Pick one simple marker for each person you want to contact, such as a group name you always use.
3. Choose File > New Smart List.
4. Set the criteria with the pop-up menus, then click OK.
5. Scroll the list once a week and add anyone you missed.

Apple's guide does not say whether Smart Lists sync through iCloud. It also does not show which macOS version it covers. Open the list on a second device, or test it on your own Mac, before you rely on it.

A long list is less useful than a short one you can work through in one sitting. Start with people who would take your call this week. You can widen the list later.

## Asking for referrals without sounding pushy

A specific ask is easier to answer than a vague one. Saying let me know if you hear of anything asks people to think hard and remember later. Asking who they know that is thinking about moving this year gives them a name to look for. Then stop talking and let them answer.

> **Ask for one name:** Ask for one name per conversation. A single name is easy to say yes to. A long wish list makes people wonder whether they know anyone at all.

Timing helps too. Ask after a good result, such as a smooth closing or a clear answer to a hard question. Keep the ask short. Two sentences are enough. If the person says no, thank them and move on.

## Turning past clients into repeat and referral business

Past clients are the strongest referral source you can build on. NAR reports that repeat clients and customers made up 28% of the typical REALTOR's business. Referrals from past clients made up 22%. Those shares cover all members, not only new agents, so read them as a direction, not a forecast for your first year.

Keep the follow-up simple. After each closing, put the next check-in date on your calendar. Send a short note at set points, such as a few months after the move. [Gmail for realtors on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/realtors/gmail) covers templates and scheduled send, which help with these check-ins.

## Mistakes new agents make with referral outreach

- Sending one mass message and calling it outreach.
- Asking for a referral on the first call with someone you just met.
- Making the ask so vague that nobody can answer it.
- Dropping the list after a month because no names came back yet.
- Spending on ads before you have a single warm conversation.

> **Client data rules:** Before you put client names in a spreadsheet, an email tool or an AI assistant, check your brokerage's rules. Some offices limit which tools agents can use for client data. Follow your employer's rules first, even when a tool seems harmless.

## A simple contact tracker you can keep

Use [Google Sheets for realtors on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/realtors/google-sheets) for the part Contacts does poorly, which is the schedule. Keep one row for each person. The four columns below are enough to start. Review the sheet once a week, and add columns only when you need them.

| Column | What goes in it | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name | Full name and the best way to reach them | Makes the follow-up easy to act on |
| Last contact | Date of your most recent touch | Shows who has gone quiet |
| Next contact | Date of your next check-in | Turns memory into a schedule |
| Ask made | What you asked for, and whether a name came back | Shows which asks work |

_A starter tracker for referral follow-up._

If you outgrow a spreadsheet, a CRM is an option, not a requirement. Follow Up Boss lists its Grow plan at $69 per user per month on monthly billing, or $58 per user per month billed annually. Check their pricing page before you decide, because plans change.

![A person works at a Mac with a notebook beside the keyboard, the setup for client follow ups](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/new-agent-referral-income-gap/how-new-real-estate-agents-get-referrals-2-15ed93.jpg)

## Where Lazur fits in, and where it does not

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac. Hold ⌥ ⌘ to ask about anything on screen, and it answers out loud. It can point at a menu item and draw a circle around it. It can guide you one click at a time, waiting for each click. It can draft text, set timers and reminders, and add calendar events. It does not click for you, and it does not send your email.

The most useful parts for this problem are drafting and dictating. Hold fn to dictate clean, formatted text at the cursor in any app. After a call, speak your notes, then ask for a short check-in draft. Read every draft before you send it. Ask Lazur to walk you through the Smart List steps the first time, and do the clicking yourself.

Lazur does not know your market, your brokerage or your clients. It cannot tell you who will refer you. Its research feature runs in Lazur's own Chrome tabs and returns a summary and a report. Check anything it finds against the original source before you rely on it.

Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers so they can answer you, and they are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models. Your brokerage's rules still come first for client data.

![A realtor talks with a client across a table during a home meeting](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/problem/new-agent-referral-income-gap/how-new-real-estate-agents-get-referrals-3-facb5f.jpg)

If you do only one thing today, open Contacts and make your first Smart List. Every step after that depends on having names written down.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Draft a short check-in to a past client asking who they know that is thinking about moving.”: Lazur types a short draft as text. You read it, edit it for the client, and press send yourself. (Drafts it)
- “Where is the Smart List command in Contacts?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the item on your screen, so you can find it yourself.
- “Walk me through making a Smart List in Contacts”: Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click before it moves on.
- “Draft a short check-in to a past client asking who they know that is moving”: Lazur types a draft you can edit. You read it, change it for the client, and press send yourself.
- “Hold fn and dictate my notes from the call”: Clean, formatted text lands at your cursor in any app, so notes get written while the call is fresh.
- “Remind me on Friday morning to check in with my past clients”: Lazur adds a reminder to Apple Reminders. Check that the time and the wording are right.
- “Research which brokerages near me run mentoring for new agents”: Research runs in Lazur's own Chrome tabs and returns a summary and a report. Verify each item before you act on it.

## A plan you can start this week

- **Day 1: Get the names out.** Open Contacts and write down every person you have worked with, met or know well enough to call. Do not filter yet. Get the names out of your head first, then sort them.
- **Day 2: Make the Smart List.** Choose File > New Smart List, set the criteria with the pop-up menus, and click OK. Check that the list shows the people you expected. Note whether it appears on your other devices.
- **Day 3: Set up the tracker.** Open a Google Sheet with four columns: Name, Last contact, Next contact and Ask made. Add the first few people you would call. Fill in the dates you last spoke with each one.
- **Day 4: Send one specific ask.** Pick one person from the list who would take your call. Ask who they know that is thinking about moving in the next year. Log the ask in the Ask made column, whatever the answer.
- **Day 5: Review what worked.** Look at the tracker and mark which asks produced a name and which did not. Change the wording of the asks that got nothing. Repeat the routine next week with the improved wording.

## FAQ

### How long does it take to get a first referral?

The sources I could open do not give a typical timeline for a first referral. Your timing depends on how many people you talk to and how often you ask. Track your asks for a few weeks and look at the pattern yourself.

### Do new agents get referrals at the same rate as experienced agents?

NAR reports a 22% referral share for the typical REALTOR across all members. I could not verify a referral share for members with two years or less. Treat the experienced average as a target, not a promise for year one.

### Should I buy a CRM before I start?

Not necessarily. A Google Sheet and an Apple Contacts Smart List can handle a first list. If you want a CRM, Follow Up Boss publishes its plans and prices on its pricing page. Compare the plan you need before you pay.

### Can Lazur send referral emails for me?

No. Lazur drafts and types text, but it does not click send. Read every draft, edit it for the client, and send it yourself. Check your brokerage's rules before you put client details into any tool.

### Is there a free trial of Lazur?

Yes. Lazur has a 3-day Pro trial with no credit card. The trial starts when you first open the app. Pricing details are on the pricing page.

### Does Lazur work on Windows?

No. Lazur runs on macOS, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Windows is planned, but it is not available yet.

### Does Lazur listen all the time?

No. It listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and screenshots go to AI providers to answer you, and they are not stored.

### What if I know almost nobody in my area yet?

Start with people you knew before you got your license. That can include former coworkers, neighbors, vendors and friends. The sources here do not test which groups refer best, so start with people who would take your call.

## Sources

1. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, checked 2026-11-06
2. [The Feature Sheet: 2026 Member Profile](https://www.nar.realtor/news/economists-outlook/the-feature-sheet-2026-member-profile), National Association of REALTORS, checked 2026-11-06
3. [Income Steady, Even as Market Slows: 2025 Member Trends](https://www.nar.realtor/news/real-estate-news/sales-marketing/income-steady-even-as-market-slows-2025-member-trends), National Association of REALTORS, checked 2026-11-06
4. [Follow Up Boss Pricing](https://followupboss.com/pricing), Follow Up Boss, checked 2026-11-06
5. [Create and change Smart Lists in Contacts on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/contacts/create-and-change-smart-groups-adrbk1005/mac), Apple Support, checked 2026-11-06