19 Deals in 10–11 Months as a First-Year Agent

19 Deals in 10–11 Months as a First-Year Agent — What’s the Real Secret?

Imagine this: you’re 10 months into real estate and you’ve already closed 19 transactions. No “perfect timing.” No magical lead source. Just fundamentals executed with consistency.

Hey everybody — Mike Ferrante here with LPT Realty, leader of the Mike Team. We’re real estate agents serving Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and Central Ohio. If you have a real estate question (or you’re an agent who wants to level up), head to 21mike.com, click the button at the top to schedule an appointment, or email me directly at mike@21mike.com.

Today’s lesson comes from a conversation I had with one of our teammates, Jordan Yates, who lives in Canton and serves the Akron/Canton area and an hour radius. Her first-year results are the kind of thing people say they want… and then they don’t actually do the activities required to create them.

So instead of just applauding the result, let’s extract the value:

What did she do that worked?
What did she do wrong at first — and fix quickly?
What should buyers, sellers, and agents do differently after reading this?

The Real Lesson: “Success Is Built on Conversations + Reps + Structure”

Jordan’s story isn’t a mystery. It’s a blueprint.

Her success came down to four repeatable behaviors:

She was willing to talk to people — constantly.
She treated social media like leverage, not vanity.
She learned to handle objections early (especially as a young agent).
She built momentum through open houses — even without listings.

That applies whether you’re in Cleveland real estate, the Northeast Ohio real estate market, or Central Ohio real estate. The geography changes, but the fundamentals don’t.

1) Conversations: The Skill Most Agents Avoid (and the Market Rewards)

Jordan said it plainly: “You’re never going to be ready.”
So you have to start talking to people anyway.

Her background in the restaurant industry helped because she was already used to dealing with:

different personalities
fast problem-solving
rejection without spiraling
staying upbeat under pressure

And here’s the story that says everything: she was at the restaurant, noticed someone frustrated, helped him, mentioned she was a Realtor… and ended up basically doing a mini listing appointment right there. That deal didn’t convert instantly, but she followed up consistently, built the relationship, and kept it moving forward.

That’s the point. In real estate, your outcomes are a lagging indicator of your conversations.

What to do differently (agents):

Track conversations like a KPI.
Your goal isn’t “close a deal.” Your goal is “create appointments.”
Appointments become clients. Clients become transactions.

2) Social Media: Stop Chasing Likes — Start Building Reach and Proof

A lot of agents get stuck at:
“I only got 20 views… what’s the point?”

Jordan’s mindset was better: 20 views is still 20 people you didn’t have to call.

Her system is simple and repeatable:

If she’s going to a showing anyway, she asks the listing agent:
“Is it okay if I take a quick video tour?”
She records it in a few minutes
Edits quickly
Posts everywhere: TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.

Most of her videos might get a couple hundred views… but then one “Akron home tour” popped off at 25,000 views. The lesson isn’t “go viral.” The lesson is:

Test enough reps until something hits — then do more of what works.

She also mixes in real-life content (day-in-the-life, cooking, concerts), because being 100% real estate can feel salesy and boring. People work with people they relate to.

What to do differently (agents):

Post consistently even when numbers are small.
Pay attention to what gets shared/saved, not just liked.
Repeat the winners (if Akron tours hit, do more Akron tours).
Balance real estate + human content so you stay approachable.

3) Objections: Confidence Is a Skill — and It’s Trainable

Jordan called out something I see constantly, especially with newer agents: people ask:

“How many deals have you done?”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Are you sure you can handle this?”

Her answer wasn’t to get defensive. It was to practice until she sounded certain — because confidence isn’t personality, it’s preparation.

She recommended practicing:

with your partner
with your team
in the mirror

And here’s the proof it worked: she said she can’t even remember the last time someone asked how many deals she’s done. Why? Because when you show up confidently, objections often don’t even surface.

What to do differently (agents):

Build an “objection library” and drill it weekly.
Borrow credibility correctly: your team, your support system, your process.
Practice until the words come out smooth under pressure.

4) Open Houses: “I Don’t Have Listings” Is Not a Real Excuse

Jordan did something most agents won’t do: she ran open houses aggressively — around 40 open houses in her first year.

And she didn’t wait until she had her own listings. She simply:

reached out to agents inside her brokerage
reached out to agents outside her brokerage
asked for opportunities
posted about every open house on social media
ran them consistently

Now she has agents who ask her to host open houses because they know she’ll show up and do it right.

What to do differently (agents):

If you don’t have listings, borrow opportunities through open houses.
Treat every open house like a lead-gen event, not “babysitting a house.”
Promote it, follow up, and build your database every time.

The Mistake She Admitted (and the Fix You Should Copy)

Jordan’s biggest early mistake was also one of the most common in real estate:

She didn’t build a schedule and business plan early enough.

She said she waited about 3–4 months before she truly structured her days. That matters because real estate gives you “freedom,” and freedom without structure turns into drift.

Her fix was the right one:

create a business plan immediately
time-block activities
batch tasks so you don’t burn out
use the plan as accountability, not a “nice document”

Takeaways for Buyers, Sellers, and Agents

If you’re buying a home in Ohio

In the Cleveland real estate market and across the Northeast Ohio real estate market, the winners are decisive and prepared. Work with someone who:

responds quickly
communicates clearly
has a process (not vibes)

If you’re selling a home in Ohio

Marketing isn’t just “put it on the MLS.” The best agents:

understand attention, distribution, and follow-up
create demand with exposure + urgency
bring a repeatable plan to every listing

If you’re an agent

Jordan’s first-year success was not luck. It was:

more conversations
more reps
more consistency
better structure

That formula works in Central Ohio real estate, Columbus, Akron/Canton, Cleveland, and anywhere else.

Final Word: Give Yourself Grace — But Keep Doing the Work

Jordan ended with advice that matters: give yourself grace. You’re going to make mistakes. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is learning speed.

Keep showing up. Keep stacking reps. Keep talking to people. Consistency is the cheat code.

Want to Talk Through Your Next Move?

If you’re buying, selling, investing, or you’re an agent who wants a stronger plan, reach out.

21mike.com
Click the button at the top to schedule an appointment
mike@21mike.com

And if you want more training like this, subscribe on YouTube and check out the Free Beer and Real Estate podcast.

Bonus: Featured Teammate Contact Info
Jordan Yates (Akron/Canton + surrounding areas)
📞 440-228-8653
✉️ jordan.yates.realtor@gmail.com

19 Deals in 10–11 Months as a First-Year Agent — What’s the Real Secret?

by Mike Ferrante