Learn how to onboard real estate agents successfully with 3 proven steps to set expectations, create a clear process, and eliminate excuses. Boost productivity from day one.
In real estate, first impressions matter — not just for clients, but for your agents too. A strong onboarding process sets the tone for performance, accountability, and retention. Whether you’re growing a small team or managing a large brokerage, onboarding is your chance to create a culture of success from day one.
This week’s Momentum Mondays tip is all about how to onboard agents successfully, drawing from years of leadership experience and practical strategies that work in the real world.
VIDEO: 3 Steps to Successfully Onboard New Real Estate Agents (and Keep Them Productive)
Step 1: Establish Strong and Clear Expectations
One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader is set expectations from the start. When Christina was a high school teacher, a veteran colleague gave her a piece of advice that stuck:
“Start off the first week mean and mean business — because you can always get nicer. But if you start too nice, you can’t get meaner.”
The principle applies to real estate too. Lay out the standards for communication, performance, accountability, and professionalism from day one. Be specific — don’t just say “be on time,” outline what “on time” means in your organization. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings later.
Step 2: Create a Clear Onboarding Process
Structure is everything. A new agent should never feel lost or wonder, “What do I do next?”
A great onboarding process includes:
A checklist of every task and requirement (licenses, documentation, MLS access, etc.)
Training courses that introduce your systems, processes, and sales strategies
Deadlines for completing each step
When your onboarding is laid out clearly, agents feel supported, not overwhelmed — and you avoid the constant interruptions that come from answering the same questions over and over.
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Agent Management Portal 26 – 75
ICC will create a customized and branded real estate training website for your team, brokerage or real estate company!
Your Custom Training Suite will be branded with your company’s logos, colors and themes. You will have full access to ALL of ICC’s training courses and systems, a customized progress reporting dashboard, certifications, designations and complete administrative access and control over your own group of users, even add YOUR OWN localized training courses by “drag and drop”, easy to use for topics like file compliance, new agent orientation, MLS systems, CRM training, and office administrative agent orientation and onboarding.
Step 3: Eliminate Excuses
I’ll be honest: excuses are the worst. And when you’ve documented every step of the onboarding process, you take away the “I didn’t know” factor entirely.
If an agent still struggles to follow through after you’ve given them clear expectations and step-by-step instructions, it might be a red flag about their long-term fit.
A Tool That Makes This Easy
The easiest way I’ve found to manage onboarding is through ICT’s Agent Management Portal (AMP). With AMP, you can:
Host your onboarding process online
Assign required courses and track completion
Monitor real-time activity so you know exactly where agents stand
It’s a plug-and-play solution that keeps everything in one place — no scattered documents, lost emails, or missed deadlines.
Learn more about the Agent Management Portal
Looking for the best way to add value for your agents? The Agent Management Portal is a powerful learning management system. You get access to all of our state-of-the-industry training materials, as well as tools to help you create your own training content for your agents.
The Agent Management Portal is the ultimate recruiting software system. Think of it as a Roku or Fire Stick for your real estate business—a hub that ties together all your training, tools, and resources.
Brian Icenhower
Final Thought on how to onboard real estate agents
Onboarding isn’t just about orientation — it’s about setting the foundation for success. When you start strong, provide structure, and hold agents accountable, you’ll create a culture where new hires become top performers faster.
