Archive for the ‘Ron Ario’ Category

Article in California Real Estate Magazine

By Intero Real Estate | September 5th, 2007 0 Comments

Recruitment tactics for real estate officesRon ArioIf you haven’t already seen it, check out the August issue of California Real Estate Magazine. Real estate writer Bridget McCrea interviewed me for an article titled "Talent Search," (p. B19) that looks at how different CEOs go about recruiting. I’d love to link to it directly. Unfortunately, it’s not online.

Others interviewed in the article are Yvette Callum Page, broker–owner of Callum Page Realty Group and Mike Silvas, president and CEO of Morgan Lane in Napa.

In the article, I talk about the type of agents we’re looking for: mid–level and top producers, experienced Realtors™ who’ve proven themselves in the market. Though, we’re on the lower end in terms of the recruitment numbers—we bring on about 10-20 new agents annually. We do this on purpose so that we can focus on the agents we have, rather than on simply recruiting volume. This core to what we’re trying to do here.

The candidates we recruit should be willing to put in at least 40 hours of work a week, be knowledgeable and committed to the real estate profession. As I mention in the article, I don’t screen. Rather, I rely on my intuition, feeling and instinct about the person. I’m one of those "trust your gut" people.

Check out the article to read more.

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We’re Looking for the Right People

By Intero Real Estate | August 21st, 2007 0 Comments

Intero LA is recruiting motivated, passionate real estate agents and broker–ownersRon ArioWe’ve just finished putting together a new ad for Broker Agent LA. I’d like to include it here because I think it communicates what’s going on with Intero right now. It’s tough out there for everyone today, but we are continuing to grow and expand regionally in Los Angeles County and in national and international markets.

When we find ourselves in the middle of the perfect storm, it challenges even the best REALTORS®. These are the days when you’ll want to rely on your brokerage for support and guidance. If you’re not getting that, it may be time to really think about what you need so that you can move your business forward.

We’re actively looking for the right people to join our team here in LA, agents and broker–owners who are motivated, focused and passionate about real estate.

If your interested in talking, please feel free to call or email. I can be reached directly at 818.992.9977 or rario@interorealestate.com.

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10 Things REALTORS® Should Look for in a Brokerage (1-5)

By Intero Real Estate | August 7th, 2007 0 Comments

Real estate agents should do their homework before affiliating with a new brokerageRon ArioLast 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.

—Ron

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10 Things REALTORS® Should Look For In a Brokerage (6-10)

By Intero Real Estate | July 26th, 2007 0 Comments

Real estate agents should do their homework before affiliating with a new brokerageRon ArioDeciding what brokerage to affiliate with is a key decision for any REALTOR®. It can mean the difference between success and failure in your real estate business.

Of course, like anything, there is no one brokerage that can meet the needs of everyone. Your personality, working style, goals and support requirements are just a few of the things that will influence how well you fit into a particular company. So, shop around. Find out what it is you like and don’t like about different companies before deciding to join their team.

For what it’s worth, I’ve put together a list of 10 things I think every REALTOR® should consider before joining a new brokerage. These come from my experience working with many different brokerages during my tenure in real estate (more than two decades). I’ve included numbers 6-10 here; 1-5 will be posted next week.

(6) COMMISSION SPLIT
There are many valid reasons for considering your commission split when thinking about a new brokerage, but be careful how much importance you place on it. A company may give you a higher percentage in the split, but could be lacking in the support it offers in other areas like marketing and training. A fair amount of thought should be given the overall picture, including how the brokerage will support you and help you to succeed in the long term.

(7) TECHNOLOGY & VALUE ADDED SERVICES
Technology can help you work smarter and more efficiently as a realtor, whether you’re trying to capture and convert more leads or gain a competitive advantage to become the realtor or broker of choice. It should be user friendly, easy to work with and empower you to be mobile. Also, is the technolgy out of date, current or leading edge? How will it help to make you more efficient?

Another thing to consider is the affiliations a brokerage has developed with companies that offer real estate related services, things like mortgage, insurance and title services. Today’s buyers are beginning to demand a one-stop shop where they can get these value added services all bundled together. Being able to provide that for your clients will make their life easier and give you more touch points with them.

(8) GIVING BACK
Does the company give back to the community? This is an important, but often under emphasized, consideration for joining a new brokerage. Remember, giving back is as much about good business as it is about philanthropy. People appreciate (especially in real estate) realtors who give back to the communities that support their business. Social and environmental responsibility is becoming increasingly important to today’s consumer and more are making choices about whom they work with depending on this. It’s also an excellent way to get publicity, network and generate new leads.

(9) POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH
Where do you plan to go with your career? This will inevitably affect how well your fit in at a particular company. Does the brokerage offer potential for your professional growth? Will you be bored within a year, or constantly challenged? Are there growth areas for your leadership and business acumen?  We are all in a state of becoming. Are you becoming all that you have the potential to be?

(10) POSITION IN THE MARKET
Again, this is a careful one to consider. Just because a brokerage is a market leader does not necessarily mean it’s the right fit for you. Then again, a company with an excellent reputation and strong brand can help to bring you more business, especially if you’re starting out and haven’t established a strong name for yourself. Ultimately, your success will depend mostly on your own drive and work ethic as a realtor, paired with the support and guidance you receive from your brokerage.

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.

—Ron

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Pay More Attention to Your Agents

By Intero Real Estate | July 9th, 2007 0 Comments

Developing strong realtors takes time, but it pays off in the endRon ArioI was recently asked some questions about the state of agent education in Southern California. The writer wanted to know what I thought about the way in which agents are prepared today for their work as realtors—what is working and what is not. This is a tough one to answer, because it really depends on the brokerage they’re with. Every company (and even indivdiual offices) has developed their own program for training, and some are more successful than others.

For the most part, I think that collectively we’re not doing as good a job as we can in LA. In the last six years, we’ve seen an influx of new agents flooding the market, literally thousands of individuals who quickly got licensed in hopes of cashing in on the real estate boom, and now that things are slowing, these same agents are in trouble. I am not sure of the exact numbers, but I am confident in saying that LA county has seen more individuals getting into real estate that I can ever remember (and I’ve been in this business for nearly three decades).

Our local board has approximately 16,000 agents as members. From what I have been told, approximately 3,000 come and go each year.  That being the case, over a four–year period, approximately 75 percent of the agent population has four years or less experience. These are the teachers of the general real estate population. This is a problem. The knowledge that has been traditionally passed from experienced agent to new recruit in a slow process over the years has been accelerated. As a result, it’s become watered down, and the fundamentals that create lasting success for realtors (success that allows you to withstand market conditions like we’re facing today) have been lost.

Brokerages need to think about slowing down the process of turnover by taking on fewer agents and focusing more on strengthening the skills of the ones they currently have.

When an office is mandating as many as eight new agents a month, how do these individuals possibly receive the attention and guidance they need? It’s setting people up for failure, and when the agents realize this, they become disillusioned and leave. In the end, this hurts the managers, the owners and the brokerage because it directly affects their bottom line (higher turnover means higher training, administrative and recruitment costs) and their reputation (people will figure out that the company can’t deliver on it’s promises).

Everyone (agents, managers, clients, and companies) are better off when the company’s first priority is making existing agents better rather than simply looking to add more. One of my colleagues, Roger Hance, is a pioneer in this way of thinking.

In the spring of 1978, Roger launched R.R. Gable Inc., a full service real estate company in Los Angeles that was one of the first to develop agent support programs for farming leads and real estate teams. From the outset, he focused on helping his people to become better and more efficient in their work, which enabled his office to reach the highest average income per agent in the residential brokerage business in 1981. He expanded R.R. Gable to eventually include 10 offices in LA and Ventura counties with more than 500 agents.  

Strong agents mean strong offices. It’s as simple as that. And developing strong agents means taking a more time-consuming, hands-on approach. Management that focuses on the basics, implements strong (not just surface level) training programs and encourages real mentorship among their agents will minimize turnover, increase their average income per agent and develop their people into competent, successful realtors who’ll be in the business for years to come.

—Ron

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