By James Todman, Founder of AgentHype. Updated October 2026.
The short answer
Usually not in your first few months. Paid lead generation works best once you have a few sales behind you and can confidently convert a listing appointment. Until then, the old methods build both your skills and your story. Once you have results to talk about, a lead system can multiply them.
Why we often say not yet
We turn away many new agents. Not because the ads will not produce leads, but because leads alone do not produce listings. We have seen new agents receive appraisal opportunities they were not yet ready to win, spend their budget and lose the listings to more experienced agents. That is a bad outcome for everyone.
There is also less to market. Good campaigns are built on what makes you different: your sales, your track record, your reviews, your story. Without those, the only ad available is a generic "what is your home worth", which every agent in the area is already running.
What new agents should do first
- Learn from experienced agents. Working in a team fast-tracks your career. You see how listings are won and how vendors are managed.
- Prospect the traditional way. Door knocking, cold calling and letterbox drops are hard to scale, but they teach you how to talk to owners.
- Use open homes. Every buyer at an open home may be a seller. Build your own database from day one.
- Win your first listings. Those first few sales become the proof your marketing will be built on.
- Start filming. Simple videos on your phone build comfort on camera before you put money behind them.
When it starts to make sense
Most agents we work with started once they had a handful of listings and were ready to build their own pipeline, often six or seven months into working with a team or in an area. At that point there is a story to tell, the agent can convert, and the marketing has something to amplify.
It also needs to fit your finances. Between the management fee and ad spend, a proper campaign is a real monthly commitment. You want to be in a position to give it three months without pressure.
Exceptions
An agent new to a suburb or an agency is not a new agent. If you have years of experience and a track record elsewhere, your testimonials and results still belong to you. Read how to win listings in a new suburb or after changing agencies.
The bottom line
Paid lead generation amplifies what you already have. Build the skills and the first results, then build the system around them.
Next step
If you have a few sales behind you and want to build your pipeline, book a free growth audit.
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