As an agent, selecting who to affiliate yourself with is a complex decision with potentially long-term consequences; nailing your colors to one mast requires careful deliberation and consideration.
If you are reconsidering your options, or want to review where you are with your group, it’s always a good idea to conduct a mini ‘audit’ of how the relationship is currently working – a check under the hood to see if your cylinders really are all firing in unison! To help with your audit, Property Matters has created the following questions. If you find yourself pondering them or they create additional questions, then please do get in touch with our team. We would be delighted to discuss your current situation, and to see if Property Matters might be a better fit for you at this stage of your career.
Fairness
1. It’s not just about commission splits! You should ask what your company/the companies charges are going to be throughout the year. You should expect transparency from any new company.
2. Are there technology fees, desk fees, copying fees, website fees, social media fees, advertising fees?
3. How much will you be charged for the Additional Brokers Liability Insurance? If you’re told you don’t need insurance, run a mile. If they’ve given a price for it, make sure it’s fair.
4. As for the commission splits, think this through logically before getting excited by the number.
5. If you’re being offered 100%, how does the brokerage afford to give you the support you may be looking for? Are there hidden fees?
6. Being offered a sliding scale? Are the hurdles set at achievable levels so you can benefit from the increased percentages? Do you fall back down the scale if your performance is less one year to the next?
Technology
1. There is so much out there to impress, but how much of it will you make good use of?
2. Will the technology make you more efficient or set you apart from the competition?
3. Will the technology add to your workload or help streamline your processes?
4. Will the company support your use of the technology it’s promoting?
5. Look at what’s on offer and assess whether or not this could improve the way you’re working. Could it help how you work with your clients?
6. Could it impress your clients and help you to win listings?
7. Is use of the technology charged sensibly and fairly encouraging you to make use of it?
Marketing Support
The world of marketing has changed dramatically in the recent past.
1. Are you being asked to contribute to archaic advertising that is no longer relevant or effective?
2. Does the marketing you’re paying for benefit you and your clients or is it really in the company’s best interest?
3. Are you being offered access to social media platforms for promotional and advertising purposes?
4. Is the company running relevant campaigns covering the area you work in?
5. How effective is the company website and would your personal website be as impressive?
Networking
1. Are you considering a company with a national or international reach?
2. Will access to agents on the west coast of the US increase your productivity?
3. Will you be given hot leads as opposed to the other agents in the company?
4. Do you already network in your own area?
5. Are you networking with your past clients?
6. Will you get support to assist you in networking farm areas?
7. Will technology be provided to automate your networking to increase your effectiveness and efficiency?
Environment
1. Is real estate not as much fun as it used to be?
2. Do you enjoy being in the office?
3. Would an open, friendly, collaborative environment boost your productivity?
4. Would you have direct access to an experienced and welcoming managing broker any time you need it?
We leave you with this: Change for changes sake offers no positive rewards. Change for the right reasons offers unlimited possibilities………..
Our Property Matters Pledge to Affiliated Agents:
- We pay agent commissions within 24 hours of the commission monies clearing our account.
- No penalty charges are demanded for prompt payment to agents of commission monies earned.
- We do not make false promises and are happy to be held accountable if we do. To prove this point, if we don’t cut an agent their commission check on the day the monies clear our account then we will pay an additional 5% of the commission to the agent.
Call Ted Brown +1 561-508-9000 or email to tedbrown@propertymatters.net to arrange a time to meet and discuss your situation and how the Property Matters team can help you.
Property Matters
The Monterey
5499 N Federal Hwy, Suite A
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Office: 561-508-9000