The answer lies in your decent question...."years"

My first fw years were in the S&L arena as a loan officer. Those were some very lean years!

My first year.  I had goals, a business plan and a daily schedule.  I did not have time or money to waste.

Less than a year; maybe 5 or 6 months before I made back all I had initially invested. 

3 months and it popped. It lasted until Hurricane Andrew, a year of nothing and then I hit the real estate lotto.

Failure was not an option.  I saw some positive return in my first year and have grown from there.

Well I was licensed in April 1999 and made my first sale of $600K in September of 1999, so I'd say 5 months. As I'd only invested in school, business cards and 2 new suits at that point.  Then I got "experienced" and wasted $1,000's on leads, Talking Houses and print ads. 

I'm going to say 3 at the least. It's tough to start up & brokers don't seem to get that across to newbies. Everyone seems to come in like gangbusters & then find out it takes alot more than just energy to succeed.

I'm saying 1 in 20 are profitable despite all these answers.

Just a couple of months. Hard work, though!

One year

My third year which was my first full time.

all inspiring answers 

I had results right away but did not start seeing closings until 60 days in.

The first year I was in business turned out very profitable, and was part time most of it.

Peter Mohylsky I started seeing success in my first year itself.

The first few were very quick flips, took a few weeks before seeing good returns on the timber on these properties.

It took me 6 months.  I was very lucky.

7 Months

Not yet.  Push hard every day.

It was a good two years before I started seeing a little profit.

Peter,

Ron started first. I continued with our consulting practice, and within the first 3 months, he was making money.  He had a great mentor, and he is a self starter.  I joined him 3 years later, and made my first deal two weeks later, he too was an excellent mentor,  I would say, it depends on who the person is.  A

3 months but that was helped by sphere of influence sales.

0  I had sellers lined up as soon as I got my license.  Had a listing and a buyer the day I got my license.  Double ended my first listing within a couple months of being licensed and made more than I did in my old job in a year.  Great ROI!

My first year was a very good year.

30 days....listed and sold a home in Franklin MA....my first listing.... one of my "bird dogs" set me up with it and I sold it myself.... $30,000...August of 1978.... 6% commission.... I thought I was rich and ready to retire....did I tell you we had 3 small children....and not much income with only one paycheck....and then there was real estate!!!

We started in 08 right when things had crashed.  Our thought process was if we can learn in a down market, we're going to be great when it turns.  

It was 2011 before we finally got our heads above water.  

As with Wayne Martin ... I started in the industry back in the 70's at a Savings and Loan ... and has he said, those years were "lean".  But my start was unique, as part of my "return" was in schooling and learning my chosen profession.  So I'd have to say personally, my return was immediate ... though not in dollars and cents.  

Gene 

I had 5 listings my first week so I would say right away

9 months 

Peter Mohylsky I would say I made money the first year, but it took a couple of years to start making real money.

2 months

"return on my time and effort"

It was a few months before in coming exceeded out going.

Sometimes, 20 years later, I ask if it's worth it.

18 months after that smooth sailing.  

I started up twice in two totally disparate cities and found that both times it took about two years. In NYC we new agents were told up-front not to expect a commission before six months... it took that long to close on coops. My first commission check showed up at that six month mark. But after two years I was seriously up and running.