To create a consistent business, you need to understand both short-term success and long-term strategies, writes director Ricky Carous.
Inman’s popular newsletter for first-year agents, The Basics, February is New Agent Month. You’ll receive the tools, tech and tips you need to survive and thrive as a new real estate agent in 2025.
Want to know the secret behind closing two deals every week? During my time as a real estate agent, I discovered a formula that revolutionized my business and helped me shut down over 800 transactions in eight years with one unauthorized assistant. Today I look forward to sharing this game-changing formula with you.
The power of predictability
Let’s make 2025 a year of visualization. When you can confidently predict closures, it removes pressure and gives you complete clarity about where your business is headed. This is more than just a theory. Agents across the country are currently using this formula to consistently predict and achieve weekly closures.
Introducing the ABS formula
So, what exactly is abs? Short for Active Buyer or Seller. It shows you can buy and sell the property within the next 0-6 months, potentially choosing you as their agent. But here’s the key. It’s not just about identifying these outlooks. It’s about understanding them deeply.
When talking to potential clients, I always go deeper with 5-10 questions to understand their motivations. Why are they looking for buying and selling? What drives their decisions? Without this deep understanding, you cannot really help them achieve their goals.
Magical numbers
This is where it gets exciting. The formula is beautiful and simple:
To close one trade per week: Always maintain 15-20 ABS to close two trades per week: Always maintain 25+ abs
At my peak, I consistently maintained an ABS of 25 or more, which means an average of two closures were closed each week. We closed five to six deals for a week, but only one or one else, but over time it became completely average.
Managing ABS Lists
The key to success is to actively maintain your ABS list. There are four main reasons to remove someone from your list:
They list their property along with you or another agent. They will enter into a contract as buyers (with you or another agent). They explicitly say they are holding you back. They will make you a ghost.
Don’t forget to remove someone from your ABS list. It’s not that they’re gone forever. A weekly email strategy is important. I’ve been back especially with my clients as they kept receiving my weekly updates.
90 days delay
Here are some important things to understand: Real estate is a 90-day delayed business. The work you do today will usually pay off three months from now. This is why many agents fall into the cycle of east feasts or famins. They have to close the deal, get busy quitting prospects and start from scratch when the pipeline gets dry.
By consistently maintaining your abs count, you break this cycle and create a predictable and stable income. It’s about doing a consistent job to get those consistent transactions.
Practical implementation
I start every day:
Check my notes and see pending transactions (usually 10-20) for creating a to-do list.
The entire process usually takes about 30 minutes, and it’s important to maintain the momentum needed for consistent success.
After that, if I don’t have an appointment, I’ll start exploring new abs in the morning.
A real success story
This is more than just a theory. Agents across the country are seeing real results. I’ll take Robbie Baker in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee maintains at least 15 abs and closes two to three deals a month. Or Monica Smith of Fort Walton, Florida, just won a $30,000 GCI month using the ABS system. Their success comes from focusing on helping people rather than simply chasing after the committee.
Long game
The ABS formula is perfect for short-term success, but don’t forget to combine it with your long-term strategy. You can’t build a million dollar business with just the leads you earn in that million dollar year. It’s about new leads you generate, in addition to deterring relationships over time.
The beauty of this system lies in its simplicity and predictability. Maintaining the right number of abs and consistently following up can create a stable closure flow that takes the guess from your business. Remember, it’s not about the occasional big month – it’s about creating sustainable and predictable success that you can count each week, year.
Start implementing ABS formulas now and you’ll be able to predict closures with amazing accuracy within 90 days. Your future self will thank you.
Ricky Carruth is a coach, speaker and real estate expert. Connect with Ricky on Instagram and YouTube.
