First Quarter Pacesetter

The most financially successful years of my career all had one thing in common, they were built in the first quarter. January, February, and March are where momentum is created. When you set the pace early, when you’re productive and earning income in Q1, you dramatically increase the likelihood that the rest of the year unfolds with less stress and more control. What becomes incredibly difficult is trying to make up lost ground late in the year. If you’re behind the eight ball in October, the market is already slowing, the holidays are approaching, and you’re asking January and February to do far too much heavy lifting. That creates pressure, anxiety, and reactive decision-making. Strong first-quarter production does the opposite. It establishes psychological confidence, reduces financial worry, and puts you in a proactive position instead of a defensive one. When you push harder at the beginning of the year, the rewards tend to show up in the summer, which are traditionally the highest earning months in real estate. The goal is not to hope the fourth quarter saves you. The goal is to arrive in the fourth quarter already most of the way to your annual income target, so any closings in December feel like icing on the cake, not a lifeline. And here’s the good news, it’s not too late to create listing opportunities right now for February and March. One of the most effective practices you can adopt is to go back into your local MLS and review the properties that expired or were withdrawn in the last quarter of last year. Many of those homeowners still need to sell. The reasons they wanted to sell didn’t disappear just because the listing expired. People sell property to fund the next chapter of their lives, and that need is often still very real. Your job is to get in front of them. That might mean phone calls, handwritten notes, or even knocking on doors. Don’t be afraid of that. Just be intentional. Know your script before you show up. Your first objective is not to set the appointment. Your first objective is to raise awareness. Let them know you’re an expert in that neighborhood, that you’re actively working with buyers in the area, and that you’re simply curious whether the home might still be available for purchase. If the answer is yes, you’re already on your way to a new client relationship. Set the pace now. Win the first quarter. And give yourself the gift of a calmer, more profitable year ahead.