A Year in Real Estate: A checklist for the first quarter

And we're back.

While the holidays are over, it's an exciting time to be making a return to the real estate world. After all, this is the quiet season.

While that may look like rest and hibernation from the outside, real estate professionals everywhere know that it's anything but. As a matter of fact, this is the opportune time to prepare for the year ahead in more ways than one. And we're here to help.

What's this checklist about?

A year is everything in business. That's why we released our real estate checklist: An annual planning tool for brokers and agents to keep their businesses on track for success throughout the year. It includes key periods in real estate to stay mindful of, and it's jam-packed with resources. Most of all, this list provides a bird's-eye view of everything that should be addressed each quarter to make for a smooth transition between seasons.

But we're not done yet! This year—starting now—we'll be releasing parts of the list based on their corresponding quarters along with an overview to explore them. This is the very first post in a year-long four-part series.

Without further ado, let's get into the highlights of the first quarter and what it has to offer.

Keyword? Reflection.

We're starting strong with the theme for the first quarter of the year: Reflection.

January's a ripe month for reviews and reflections on the data you've collected from year-end. That's why the tasks this quarter focus on crunching the data on last year's stats first and foremost, before using those insights to inform your new strategies.

From data and analysis to action.

With great data comes great responsibility.

After gaining a clearer picture of how your last year went, it's time to finalize your new strategies and plans for the upcoming months. Make time to look at every step of your workflow and incorporate measurable action plans for areas you want to improve.

Planning for the year ahead.

Along with focusing on the tasks in these first few months, it's important to look at what's happening next—so we've made sure to include prep time for future events so that they're on your radar sooner rather than later.

When it comes to the second quarter, that means tax season. Get a head start on tax preparations in the coming months, and you'll find that your filing will be a much smoother process when the time comes.

Pro tip: In the future, keep an eye out for posts on how to access the documents you need, too!

A pivotal beginning.

All in all, the first quarter truly sets the tone for the rest of the year and, as such, it deserves a corresponding level of attention. Check out both the checklists (for the first quarter, and the entire year) below. Save them. Bookmark them. Print them out, if you'd like. And regardless, stay tuned for new installments each quarter.

Welcome back to an exciting new year. Let's start it off right.

Downloads:

• A Year in Review: Q1
• A Year in Review: Full Annual Checklist

To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.