Making money doesn’t happen the second you get your real estate license and start working. There is some groundwork required to market yourself and your services. It could take months to generate your first commission. You may be able to speed up the process by letting family and friends know you’re a real estate agent. You also need to factor in the time from when a house goes under contract to when it closes, which may take a month or longer. Real estate agents don’t get paid until after closing. The longer a sale takes, the longer you’ll have to wait to get paid for your hard work.