By Real estate agents should do their homework before affiliating with a new brokerage
Last week, I opened my blog with a list of things I feel REALTORS® should be looking for when deciding to affiliate with a brokerage.
This list comes from my experience working with many different brokerages during my tenure of more than two decades in real estate. I included numbers 6-10 last week. Here are 1-5.
(1) CULTURE
Culture is in my opinion the most important thing you should consider if you’re thinking about joining a new brokerage. It’s the biggest factor in determining whether or not you’ll be happy where you work. What is the personality of the brokerage like? Do the values of the company align with your own? Are they values of abundance, prosperity, unlimited thinking and motivational? Are the values committed to every aspect of yourself, personal and professional? Are the people in your office ones you can work with five days a week or more? Are they friendly and open? Do they share their knowledge? Does the receptionist smile and greet visitors? Remember, the company and its people are a reflection of you in the eyes of your clients.
(2) LEADERSHIP
What is the leadership like? Do have respect for their position or for who they are as people? How far removed from the sales process are they? What is their background? Were they agents themselves? (Some large brokerages have executive management who’ve never sold real estate in their lives.) Will you have direct contact with them? Is there an open door policy, or is it difficult to get their time and attention? Is the leadership looking for you to win as well, or are they just looking out for themselves?
(3) TRAINING, EDUCATION & SUPPORT
How will the brokerage help you succeed? Do they contact you regularly? What sort of infrastructure do they have for ensuring your success? Do they provide hands on training and guidance, or is everything taught through corporate manuals, videos and books? Agent support is one of the most important things a brokerage has to offer. Make sure you’re really getting the kind of support and guidance you need. Have someone hold you accountable to your plan. It will make all the difference in your success.
(4) SUCCESSFUL AGENTS
Are the agents top producers in their market? Remember, we are all influenced by the people with whom we work. If you’re a new agent, this is particularly important because during the first 2-3 years of your career, you’ll be training with these people and learning from them. Look for realtors who are ethical and whom you feel you can trust and respect. And, look for people who carry a sense of mission and purpose (service) in their activities and interaction with others.
(5) ENVIRONMENT
Remember, in the eyes of your clients, your office environment is a reflection of you. You’ll also be working there day in and out, so make sure it’s a place you’re happy to be in. Is the office environment one in which you feel comfortable? Is it one that you can proudly bring your clients to and do business in? Is it professional, well designed and maintained? Is it comfortable and open? Does the ambience exude positive or negative energy? Do agents treat you as team members? These are all very important things to consider because our environment and its features, like lighting, temperature, noise, privacy, color and even issues related to security all have a profound impact on our productivity, satisfaction and health.
Please, comment on these and let me know if you have anything to add. I’d also like to hear your story about a good or bad transition you’ve made between brokerages.
